10
COURIER LIFE, APRIL 15-21, 2022
BY BEN BRACHFELD
More than two dozen dogs
were rescued on April 7 from a
hellish prison within a Bedford-
Stuyvesant building, where the
pups were kept in small cages,
forced to stand and sleep in their
own feces and urine, and denied
proper sustenance.
The American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(ASPCA) and the NYPD’s 79th
Precinct removed the 27 captive
canines from the Kent Avenue
flophouse on Thursday, finding
them trapped in crates in the
backyard and poorly-lit, poorlyventilated
basement smelling of
ammonia, and covered in their
own waste. One dog died owing
to its severe neglect.
Cops arrested Jason Nunez,
27, and charged him with one
count of aggravated animal cruelty,
28 counts of neglect of impounded
animals, and 28 counts
of failing to provide sustenance
to animals; he was released on
a desk appearance ticket without
bail, a police spokesperson
said. The Daily News reports
that Nunez was arrested again
shortly afterwards on Thursday
after threatening to pepper spray
a female work colleague.
It remains unclear exactly
why all the dogs were in Nunez’s
“care;” the incident remains under
investigation, and the Brooklyn
District Attorney’s office is
prosecuting the case.
“We have no tolerance for
animal neglect in Brooklyn and
I’m grateful to our partners at
the ASPCA and the NYPD for
their hard work rescuing these
dog victims from the allegedly
squalid conditions where they
suffered in cramped cages without
food or clean water,” said
Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez in
a statement. “Animals cannot
speak for themselves and our Animal
Crimes Unit is committed to
seeking justice for the innocent
dogs who suffered because of the
alleged neglectful and inhumane
conduct of this defendant.”
The ASPCA took the pups
into their care and are currently
providing veterinary and behavioral
treatment as they recover
from their traumatic ordeal.
Many of the pooches were suffering
from severe malnourishment
and dehydration, the ASPCA
says. They were also suffering
from a variety of untreated ailments
including open wounds and
ear infections. Some of their coats
were stained with feces and urine.
“Upon arriving at the property,
it was clear these animals
needed to be immediately removed
from the filthy environment
where they were living so
they could receive much-needed
medical treatment and care,”
said David Little of the ASPCA.
“The ASPCA is grateful to be in a
position where we could quickly
mobilize when we learned our
partners at the NYPD needed our
assistance with their immediate
rescue, and we thank the NYPD
and Brooklyn District Attorney’s
Office for prioritizing animal
welfare in New York City.”
The dogs will remain under
the ASPCA’s care until further
notice, receiving medical care,
sanitary living conditions, and
love and support as they recover
from their captivity, hopefully to
one day find a loving home.
A dog receives medical care after being rescued from horrific squalor in Bedford
Stuyvesant. ASPCA
RESCUED!
27 dogs saved from horrific
conditions in Bed-Stuy