NAPANOCH – A Napanoch man has been charged with failure to provide proper food and drink to impounded animals, a misdemeanor under state law.

In early January, the Ulster County SPCA rescued three dogs after receiving complaints that the animals had been abandoned in a house for more than four days without food and water.

With assistance from the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, James Vanzile, 45, of 188 Sholam Road, was arrested.

“When our Humane Law investigators arrived at the scene they found no food, no water and the heat was turned off. These dogs were forced to live in their own waste. It’s depressing to think that someone would neglect their own animals like this.” said UCSPCA Executive Director Brian Shapiro.

Vanzile was released and is scheduled to return to the Town of Wawarsing Justice Court on later this month.