Two Auburn residents have been indicted by a Cayuga County Grand Jury in connection with an animal abuse case involving severe neglect and abandonment of dogs.
According to District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci, Kenneth Sulgar, 45, and Laura Hendrickson, 50, were each indicted on one count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, a Class E felony. They also face multiple misdemeanors, including two counts of Overdriving, Torturing, and Injuring Animals, Failure to Provide Proper Sustenance, Abandonment of Animals, and Failure to Provide Proper Food and Drink to an Impounded Animal.
The indictment alleges that between November 2023 and March 2025, Sulgar and Hendrickson:
- Deprived a dog of food, causing the animal to become severely underweight
- Confined the dog in a crate, leading to permanent disfigurement of the paws due to severe pododermatitis
- Abandoned two dogs entirely
If convicted, both defendants face a maximum sentence of two years in jail.
“The Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office has made it a priority to expedite the prosecution of animal abuse offenders in our county,” Antonacci said. “We are committed to holding these individuals accountable for their actions.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Amanda Raub.
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