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Indictment In Brooklyn Dog Tossing Incident
By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 10, 2009
Modified Aug 10, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 10, 2009
Modified Aug 10, 2009
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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."
The pitbull (previously described as a terrier mix), Oreo, amazingly survived the fall from the roof of the Red Hook Houses on W. 9th Street on June 18. The ASPCA investigated the incident—they were actually called to the scene that day because of a complaint of an animal being beaten on the same floor that Henderson lives on with his family and then heard about the dog being thrown off the roof—for two weeks; Henderson, 19, initially admitted he tossed the dog but then claimed the dog jumped off.
Stacy Wolf, the ASPCA's Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel for its Humane Law Enforcement division, told us the ASPCA was "very pleased" that this was being taken seriously by the Brooklyn DA's office, noting that aggravated animal cruelty is a felony charge. And while some people might think a 2 year sentence is light, Wolf stressed that the most important thing is that the animal is separated from the abuser and that the convicted abuser stays away from vulnerable animals.
As for Oreo's condition, the ASPCA says that she "remains at the ASPCA's Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital where veterinarians treated her shattered legs, bruised lungs and severe internal bleeding. Surgery was performed to reconstruct her front legs using plates and screws. She has a long road ahead of her before a decision will be made regarding adoption." Wolf added that she saw Oreo and that Oreo looked "remarkably good" considering the extent of her injuries.
Tagged
animal abuse
animal cruelty
aspca
brooklyn
fabian henderson
indictment
oreo
oreo dog
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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