A Staten Island man has been charged with starving 24 huskies to death in a filthy environment.
Victor Quinteros, 54, pleaded not guilty Wednesday, according to the Staten Island District Attorney's Office.
Quinteros was arrested on July 29 after raiding a vacant lot in Tompkinsville. The previous day, his two dogs, including 16 adults, 7 puppies and 1 dead puppy, had been living under two trailers or roaming the fenced property. became clear.
The complaint alleges that the trailer was hot, had little airflow, and reeked of urine and feces.
In one of his trailers with as many as 20 huskies, he said, "The floor and all surfaces in the trailer where the dogs could stand, sit, or lie down were caked with faeces. was,” the complaint claims.
There was no food or water inside. When I put the animals outside, they were running around looking for food.
Their only source of water on the property, the complaint said, was a children's pool filled with "dirty, green, fetid water" that dogs used to drink and bathe in. I'm here.
And the only food source was "rotten and crawling with maggots," the complaint alleges.
The dog "appeared to be malnourished, with tangled fur and paws caked with urine and faeces." There is also a dog named Zeus, "chained to a fence" with no food or water, and "bleeding and oozing pus" from his neck.
A mother was found under a trailer with a litter of puppies, including one dead pup.
Quinteros told authorities when he arrived at the facility, "I'm doing animal rescues here," the complaint alleges.
At Wednesday's court hearing, Quinteros, through his attorney,ordered the dog to be immobilized, given dental work and microchipped, according to a Staten Island Advance report.} .
DA's office, on behalf of the ASPCA, is asking Quinteros for a medical bond for the huskies. The bill already puts him in excess of $40,000, the outlet reports.
Pooch is under the control of the ASPCA, but he is still owned by Quinteros, news sites report.
The judge set bail at $20,000 in cash and a bond of $75,000, his DA's office said.
"This defendant has failed to provide basic needs for the 24 huskies in his care, has shown these beautiful creatures to be merciless and lack access to adequate food and water. We have chosen to leave it in dire and dangerous conditions," said District Attorney Michael McMahon. statement.
"We are proud to work with the New York City Sheriff's Office and the Richmond County District Attorney's Office to bring these dogs to safety and provide much-needed medical and behavioral therapy." "His ASPCA attorney Erin Satterthwaite said in a statement.
The Legal Aid Society, which represents Quinteros in this case, did not immediately return a request for comment.