Two people were arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty after authorities discovered abandoned and deceased pets inside a Geneva apartment.
Joseph W. Shantz, 39, and Naomi A. Sharp, 21, both of Farmington, were charged following an investigation by the Ontario County Humane Society and Geneva Police Department. Officials responded to an apartment at 43 Rose Street on Oct. 13, 2024, after a concerned relative reported not having contact with Shantz for over a month. Upon entering, the relative found a deceased cat and alerted police.
When officers arrived, they discovered two living cats and a domestic rabbit, along with another dead cat behind a sofa. The surviving animals were taken to a shelter for medical care, while the deceased cats were sent to Cornell Animal Diagnostic Lab, where necropsies confirmed they died from dehydration and neglect. Investigators determined that Shantz and Sharp had left the state, abandoning the animals.
On Jan. 28, Shantz turned himself in at the Ontario County Jail on an unrelated matter and was arrested on the animal cruelty charge. Sharp was later located at their Farmington address and was also arrested. Both were issued appearance tickets for Geneva City Court and released.
The rescued animals have since recovered and will soon be available for adoption.
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