The Fulton couple accused of abandoning their dog and cat in the woods off Route 48 in the town of Lysander in January have accepted a plea bargain from Onondaga County Assistant District Attorney Jordan McNamara.
William Lasher, 47, and Robin Lasher, 48, each pleaded guilty to two counts of abandoning an animal in Lysander Town Court the evening of April 8. The Lashers had been charged with two counts of failure to provide proper sustenance for an animal, two counts of an act of cruelty to an animal and one count of unjustifiable death of an animal.
The Lashers are expected back in court June 17. Judge Michael Bryant said the two could be sentenced to three years of probation, during which they would “forfeit the right to own or possess animals.”
According to Robin Lasher’s attorney, Mary Felasco, the judge has not yet determined if the Lashers will pay a fine in addition to their expected sentence of probation.
Judge Bryant noted the Lashers have no criminal history and warned them to “stay out of trouble” until their next court date.
“If you promise to stay out of trouble, I promise you three years of probation,” Bryant said.
“My client has never been in trouble before and has great remorse for what has happened,” Felasco told the Baldwinsville Messenger.
Approximately 20 people attended the Lashers’ court date, many of them animal welfare supporters.
Karen Antczak of the Animal Alliance of Greater Syracuse offered some insight into the Lashers’ expected probation sentence.
“Given that it was a misdemeanor, we do not typically see more than probation for people with no criminal history,” she said, adding that a probation officer would conduct unannounced visits to make sure the Lashers comply with the ban on owning pets.
