The ASPCA assisted in the rescue and removal of the more than
two dozen dogs who were kept in “dungeon-like conditions” by a
man in Richmond Hill, who faces up to four years in prison.
TIMESLEDGER | Q 2 NS.COM | AUG. 27 - SEPT. 2, 2021
BY JESSICA MILITELLO
Ovelia Psistaria Bar held
a special fundraiser along
with Astoria-based nonprofit
9 HUGS on Aug. 15 to raise
funds for reforestation efforts
in Greece, as wildfires
continue to ravage parts of
the country this summer.
Ovelia’s owner, Chris Giannakas,
and 9 HUGS founders
Lu Argyris and Christine
Koufalis Karanikas all have
Greek roots and regularly
take part in organizing charity
events — so they immediately
sprung into action
when the wildfires began.
“When the fire first
started, I happened to be
in Greece. I was very near
the fires, so I could actually
smell it,” Argyris said.
As soon as Giannakas
heard the devastating news,
he called Argyris, ready to
organize an effort to combat
the destruction taking place.
Giannakas and his brother,
Peter, with whom he coowns
Ovelia, have been good
friends with the 9 HUGS
founders for decades. The
event was very lively and
filled with camaraderie as
friends, family and the restaurant’s
regulars showed up
to support the cause.
At the time when the fires
first broke out, Giannakas
recalls speaking with his father,
who was still in Athens
at the time.
“My father was there,
and he told me he couldn’t
breathe in Athens, and that’s
a while away from where the
actual fires are,” Giannakas
said. “So it was this thing
where I think everyone felt
like we need to step up and do
something.”
The event was a grassroots
effort with collective
help and participation from
neighboring businesses,
and included raffle tickets
for prizes like a gift card for
Bareburger, donated by the
fellow Astoria eatery, and
music by DJ Elias Drop, who
donated his gig money for the
event toward the good cause.
“I was in Greece when he
called me,” Elias said. “At
first we settled on a price and
then I was outside actually
smelling and breathing in the
forest fires. I called him back
and told him I have to donate
this, because it’s not right if I
don’t donate my time.”
With the donations, one
tree will be planted for every
$25 raised and the group is
targeting their reforestation
efforts for a small village
in Greece that they will be
visiting next summer.
The organization expects
the campaign to continue for
the next year or so in order to
raise as much money as possible
for the trees, which will
help toward restoring the air
quality, wildlife and plant
life as the fires have been
raging since the end of July.
As donations have been
pouring in both from the
event and from online, donations
can still be accepted at
9hugs.org.
BY BILL PARRY
A Richmond Hill man has
been charged with cruelty to
animals after more than two
dozen sick and injured pit bulls
were housed in “dungeon-like
conditions” at his home, according
to Queens District Attorney
Melinda Katz.
Andrew Cato, 59, was arraigned
Tuesday, Aug. 17, before
Queens Criminal Court
Judge Denise Johnson on a
92-count criminal complaint
charging him with aggravated
animal cruelty including 35
counts of prohibition of animal
fighting, 27 counts of failure to
provide food and drink to impounded
animals and 27 counts
of overdriving, torturing and
injuring animals and other
charges.
Cato allegedly bred dogs
for fighting, as evidenced by
numerous dog bite scars and
wounds to some of the 27 dogs
and the retrieval of dogfighting
paraphernalia, according to
authorities.
According to the charges,
on July 28, officers from the
102nd Precinct in Richmond
Hill responded to neighbor
complaints about barking dogs
and bad smells emanating from
a home located at 130-15 95th
Ave. Cato directed an NYPD detective
into a backyard garage
where he observed 17 pit bulltype
dogs inside the garage,
which was poorly ventilated,
had a very strong odor of feces
and urine and was infested by
flies.
The officer further observed
that the dogs were housed individually
inside concrete enclosures
that were without proper
bedding and soiled with urine
and feces, according to Katz,
who added that dirty water was
available inside five of the enclosures.
Cato then took the officer
to the basement, where she
observed 10 additional pit bulllike
dogs also individually
housed in concrete enclosures.
The area did not have fans or
air conditioners, was extremely
hot and humid and had minimal
air ventilation. The paper
bedding inside the enclosures
were all soiled with urine and
feces, and only five of the enclosures
had food, which was
contaminated with the urine
and feces.
A breeding stand and three
“break sticks” were observed
and allegedly recovered from
the location by the detective.
A breeding stand is typically
used to immobilize the female
to prevent the pit bulls from
fighting when breeding. A
break stick is a device inserted
behind the dog’s molar to force
the jaws apart and loosen the
grip of a bite.
“Pets and animals are
meant to be protected and nurtured.
In Queens, I will hold accountable
those who choose to
abuse them instead,” Katz said.
ASPCA veterinary and behavior
experts conducted forensic
exams on the dogs and
determined that they all suffered
from pain and discomfort
due to various medical ailments.
They had dirty, stained,
malodorous hair coats from
living in a filthy environment
with prolonged contact to urine
and feces as well as lack of adequate
grooming.
ASPCA forensic exams
Photo courtesy of ASPCA
revealed that some of the
dogs had injuries consistent
with dogfighting, including
scarring.
The ASPCA assisted in the
rescue and removal of all the
dogs and continues to provide
ongoing medical and behavioral
treatment and enrichment.
“Working collaboratively
with the NYPD and the Queens
district attorney’s office to rescue
these dogs, provide them
with essential medical and
behavioral treatment from
ASPCA experts, and hold their
alleged abusers accountable,
represent how our partnership
with the NYPD continue
to prioritize and elevate animal
welfare throughout New York
City,” ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement
Vice President Howard
Lawrence said. “Animal
cruelty — including dogfighting
— happens every day in every
corner of the country, and
we are committed to stopping
this form of barbaric abuse and
helping animals in crisis.”
Judge Johnson ordered Cato
to return to court on Sept. 8. If
convicted, he faces up to four
years in prison.
Ovelia owner Chris Giannakas, 9 HUGS co-founder Christine
Koufalis Karanikas and 9 HUGS founder Lu Argyis.
Photo by Jessica Militello
Astoria eatery raises
funds for reforestation
efforts in Greece
Richmond Hill ‘breeder’ charged
with animal cruelty for keeping
dogs in ‘dungeon-like’ conditions
TIMESLEDGER is published weekly by Queens CNG LLC, 38-15 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY.11361, (718) 229-0300. The entire contents of this publication are copyright 2021. All rights reserved. The newspaper will not be
liable for errors appearing in any advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Periodicals postage paid at Flushing, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the TimesLedger C/O News Queens
CNG LLC. 38-15 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, N.Y. 11361.
/NS.COM
/9hugs.org
