Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Pet Groomer Accused of Animal Abuse
By
Dave Hogarty
Published Feb 9, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Dave Hogarty
Published Feb 9, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A 23-year-old animal groomer in Brooklyn is facing charges of animal cruelty and could spend up to a year in jail if convicted. The charges stem from an experience Igor Kisil and his Burmese cat Nusha had with groomer Bechir Bejaoui of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Kisil says that when he went to pick up his small cat, who weighs only three pounds, she was returned to him in a carrying case covered with blood. Kisil says that the cat was literally crying, with tears coming from its eyes, and her face was covered with blood. The distressed pet owner called the cops, but when they responded they said it wasn't their jurisdiction to handle such a matter.
Nusha was taken to a vet who said that it was the worst case of animal abuse he'd witnessed in 30 years. Dr. Roy Appel told the Daily News, "I have cats that have fallen out of very high windows that weren't this bad. It was awful, just awful to see the cat suffering like it did." The animal would spend the next two weeks in a veterinary hospital, after suffering internal injuries, trauma, and hemorrhaging. The incident occurred in June and Nusha has physically recovered, although Kisil doesn't think she'll ever be psychologically the same. Bejaoui will go on trial next month and claims that the cat was "bad."
In a separate case of animal neglect, animal rescue workers responding to an anonymous tip arrived at the East Harlem home of Diana Elias, where they recovered a badly neglected dog named Miss Bea. The miniature poodle weighed three pounds but was cocooned in seven pounds of feces-encrusted fur, to the point where the dog couldn't move. Not that it would have been that mobile anyway. Miss Bea's toenails had grown so long that they had curved under her paws to pierce the skin.
Nusha the cat, via WABC Local News
Tagged
animal
animal cruelty
bay ridge
brooklyn
cruelty
daily news
diana elias
east harlem
harlem
igor kisil
local news
miss bea
neglect
news
nusha
pet
wabc
Dave Hogarty
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Your guide to voting in New York's 2026 elections for governor and Congress
A primer on the races for governor, attorney general and the congressional districts that could help determine control of the U.S. House.
By
Walter Wuthmann
,
Jon Campbell
and
Brigid Bergin
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 6:30 a.m. ET
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
Neighbors had complained of traffic and loud concerts for years.
By
Ryan Kost
News
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
Neighbors had complained of traffic and loud concerts for years.
By
Ryan Kost
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
By
Elizabeth Kim
NYPD arrests 17-year-old in fatal Midtown subway platform shooting
By
Charles Lane
Ex-Adams aide accused of pocketing kickbacks from community program funds
By
Samantha Max
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .