Results tagged “aspca”

There was a lot of attention, blame and heated sentiments exchanged last week over the little-dog-that-almost-could, Oreo. The pit bull mix survived being thrown off a six-story building in Red Hook last summer only to be euthanized last week. The abused dog was deemed to be too dangerous to live out her life in the company of other animals or humans by ASPCA, the organization that helped the dog recuperate after the fall.

Despite widespread backlash against the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for euthanizing Oreo the dog — a pit bull who miraculously survived being thrown off a six-story building only to be put down by the ASPCA because of her aggressive behavior — a major animal rights group has come forward to defend the agency.

Despite repeated requests for clemency, Oreo the dog — a pit bull who miraculously survived a six-story fall from Brooklyn's Red Hook Houses — was put to death yesterday. But the controversy surrounding the ASPCA's decision to euthanize the two-year-old pooch remains very much alive.

The ASPCA says it used Facebook to find a man accused of breaking a Yorkshire terrier's leg. Yesterday, the Post reported that Donnell Walters, 22, "was busted yesterday for allegedly taking the tiny Yorkshire terrier he'd given his boyfriend as an engagement gift and smashing her down until he'd shattered her leg." Wlaters and Omar Koonce, 20, had been arguing outside their Queens home in July when, allegedly took four-year-old pup Lucy "by the neck and started slamming her against the stairwell three times and dropped her to the ground." The ASPCA couldn't find Walters at first, but then tracked him through Facebook (apparently Friday was his birthday)—and arrested him at his workplace on charges of felony animal cruelty and criminal mischief. As for Lucy, she has recovered—her leg needed "pins, plates and a splint to repair." Here's the ASPCA's Facebook page.

Sean Lynde pleaded not guilty to charges that he killed and/or tortured his ex-girlfriend's six cats over a four month period last year. Lynde, who is out on $5,000 bail, told the Post, "There are two sides to every story. Right now, we are hearing just one incredibly distorted one."

Now that Ringling Bros. have been caught in the act beating their animals, the Coney Island sideshows are on the PETA agenda. The NY Post reports that the organization is concerned about a capybara, the world's largest rodent, being "victim of a daily assault of noise, cramped conditions and inhumane treatment."

Two years after Leona Helmsley's death, a battle continues over her multi-billion dollar trust. Her will stated that the entire trust—over $5 billion— be used toward the care and welfare of dogs, but earlier this year, a judge allowed trustees distribute the money amongst a number of charities. Now, the ASPCA, Maddie's Fund and the Humane Society have filed a suit to make trustees follow Helmsley's wishes to help dogs.

Today, the Brooklyn DA's office announced that Fabian Henderson, who allegedly threw a 1-year-old dog six stories off a Brooklyn roof, was indicted. The charges are "Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, Criminal Trespass in the Third Degree and Overdriving, Torturing and Injuring Animals. If convicted, he could face up to two years in prison."

Everyone is rooting for Oreo, the 1-year-old dog that was allegedly thrown off the roof of a Brooklyn housing project by a 19-year-old. The Daily News says its readers have been emailing, asking if the dog has been adopted yet; one hopeful reader wrote, "Oreo surviving was an absolute miracle and we believe she survived for a reason and would love to help raise her in a loving home. [We] have a big yard for her to run around in."

This is amazing (and sad): A one-year-old black-and-white terrier mix was apparently thrown off a Brooklyn apartment building—and survived. Neighbors called the ASPCA about the dog, who took her to a vet. The pup, named Oreo for her coloring, then underwent surgery at the ASPCA hospital, where vets repaired all of her limbs "with plates and screws. She also suffered internal bruising and damage to her lungs," according to the Post.

The ASPCA arrested a 17-year-old girl for killing her ex-roommate's kitten by putting the feline into an oven and leaving it to die. The Post described it as Cheyenne Cherry's "heartless attempt to get revenge on her lesbian lover." Cherry and a friend broke into the Mott Haven apartment of Valerie Hernandez, planning to trash the place. And the Daily News reports that Cherry allegedly told investigators, "I hate cats." Neighbors called the fire department, because a fire started and smoke was coming from the apartment. ASPCA Assistant Director Joseph Pentangelo said, "The kitten was burned alive, and it did not happen quickly. It was an agonizing death," adding that Cherry and the other person left soon after also slashing Hernandez's couch and stealing items, "She didn't want to hear the cat crying and scratching at the oven door... It's a shame that this kitten had to suffer like this. For the kitten to get caught up in whatever was going on with them is a tragedy." Cherry was charged with arson, burglary, criminal trespass and felony aggravated animal cruelty.

Last year, 205-pound Joseph Petcka was accused of killing his girlfriend's cat in a jealous rage. He faces charges of aggravated cruelty to animals and harassment (of his then girlfriend). Petcka left her apartment, allegedly yelling, "You love that cat more than you love me," but returned to confront 7-pound domestic cat Norman. The cat's body was later discovered with "a broken leg, three broken ribs, broken teeth, and a lacerated tongue. " It was later revealed that Petcka told the ASPCA that Norman bit him so he swiped the cat away. Today, his trial began, and Petcka's lawyer told the Post, "My client reacted to the attack of a cat, which under the law is allowable."

A Shih Tzu named Zahara lost its life last September because a man was angry at his girlfriend and their relationship, and the authorities have finally caught up with him. WNBC reports that 27-year-old Sherman Haynes "threw his girlfriend's small dog out his third-floor window, killing the defenseless animal," yelling, "You need your dog?" to his girlfriend, 25-year-old Farah Benoit. The couple were at his East 93rd Street apartment in Brooklyn, where he also threw Benoit's furniture out prior to the dog, who suffered broken legs, collapsed lungs and internal bleeding from the fall and was pronounced dead shortly after. This morning the dog's killer was finally arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief--he had been avoiding the ASPCA for a year.

Let's hear it for a dog named Boo! The 8-year-old mixed-breed Labrador retriever is a therapy dog at a Putnam County school, where he's helping kids come out of their shells.