MOHEGAN LAKE, NY – The owner of a Westchester County pet rescue might wish she was only going to the dog house after pleading guilty to stealing nearly $18,000 from her Recycled Paws Rescue in Mohegan Lake. Now, Lisa Marie Birdsall might be heading to jail.
According to the Westchester District Attorney’s Office, Birdsall, 56, of Yorktown, pled guilty on March 23, 2022, to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a felony, and Petit Larceny, a misdemeanor. As part of her plea agreement, Birdsall will be required to pay full restitution for the monies stolen to another organization that cares for animals.
“Between January 2020 and December 2020, Birdsall stole $17,956 from money that was donated to Recycled Paws Rescue for the care of animals and used the money for her own personal purposes,” the report stated. “The SPCA of Westchester’s Humane Law Enforcement Unit arrested Birdsall on July 13, 2021, following a joint investigation with District Attorney’s Economic Crimes Bureau.”
Birdsall is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2023. The rescue, according to Google is now permanently closed.