NORWICH – The 76 Pomeranians adopted out by the SPCA over the last four months will stay with their new families, according to a ruling made Wednesday by Chenango County Supreme Court Judge Kevin M. Dowd.

The decision came after a hearing described by Assistant District Attorney Steve Dunshee as “yet another episode in the continuing saga” of the Steven W. Fong case.

Fong is the Brooklyn man from whom Chenango County Sheriff’s deputies seized 76 dogs and the remains of 38 additional animals on Oct. 12. The Pomeranians became the property of the SPCA in November, as a result of an order issued by Town of Oxford Justice John Weidman in the civil proceeding brought against Fong by the shelter.

Weidman recused himself from the criminal case against Fong in December, at which point it was reassigned to Greene Town Justice Dante Acunto.

One of Acunto’s first actions in the case was to issue an order on Jan. 9 which attempted to vacate Weidman’s decision in the civil suit. According to Dunshee, this ruling “has upset the whole apple cart,” and left the dogs’ new owners in a state of “horrible limbo.”

Dowd issued a temporary stay and a notice to show cause on Acunto’s order last week and called for Dunshee and Fong’s legal counsel, attorney Scott Clippinger, to appear before his court.