Sentencing has been handed down to a Cohoctah Township man charged with animal cruelty after dozens of dead cows were found on his property.

61-year-old Keith Edwin Huck Jr. was sentenced Monday in 53rd District Court to 15 days in jail, two years of probation and five days of community service. Huck initially faced up to four years in prison due to a felony charge of animal cruelty, however he admitted to reduced charges of failure to bury animals and abandoning/cruelty to one animal resulting in death, as well as having an unlicensed dog in December.

At Monday’s hearing, Judge Suzanne Geddis ruled Huck must attend counseling and cannot own any animals during his term of probation. He will have to pay $21,744 in restitution to Livingston County Animal Control, but may receive early discharge if he complies with all conditions of his sentence and completes restitution payments.

Huck was charged following an investigation conducted by Animal Control, which led to the discovery of approximately 70 dead cows at two locations on Robb Road on property said to be owned by Huck. Court records indicate the investigation may have begun last summer as the offense was determined to have occurred in May. Picture courtesy of Sanctuary and Safe Haven for Animals (DK)