Mercy for Animals, an animal rights group, posted a video last year that focused on what it said were six main issues of animal abuse at the Willet Dairy in Genoa. However, two investigations of animal abuse at Cayuga County’s largest farm have found the farm has done nothing illegal and no criminal actions were taken against the farm, reports The Post-Standard. The Cayuga County district attorney’s office and the Finger Lakes Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals investigated the Willet Dairy in Genoa. Both reports found no systemic abuse of cattle, and all dairy and care practices were above the industry standard.
But one former farm worker was arrested stemming from the investigation. Phil Niles pleaded guilty to animal cruelty for hitting a cow with a tool and was fined $350."The investigations confirmed what we already knew — we know we did nothing wrong," said Lyn Odell, of Willet Dairy.
"In short, this team of industry experts found the condition of the animals to be well above industry standards for health and well-being,” District Attorney Jon Budelmann’s report says. "The experts indicated findings of a high level of care and animal husbandry being practiced by Willet Dairy." PD
