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After Fire Killed 16 Dogs In Illegal Breeding Kennel, Owner Faces No Criminal Charges
By
John Del Signore
Published Nov 8, 2011
Modified Nov 8, 2011
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By
John Del Signore
Published Nov 8, 2011
Modified Nov 8, 2011
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You'll recall, with horror, that 16 dogs died in their cages in a fire at an illegal breeding kennel in Westchester last week. The Cane Corso dogs (also called Italian Mastiffs) were housed in a 20-by-20-foot single-story shed that was equipped with space heaters, and the fire was reportedly sparked by one of the heaters. The dogs' owner, Ross Taylor, was previously busted for operating an illegal dog breeding kennel in 2006 at the same address. But while he is in violation of the local housing codes, he will face no criminal charges.
"I don't forsee (charges), unless something pops up that I'm not aware of," Ernest Lungaro, director of the SPCA of Westchester, tells LoHud.com. "I don't see any animal cruelty at this point. I don't think he intentionally harmed these animals." Lungaro did not respond to our repeated requests for further comment, but LoHud.com reports that a necropsy on two of the dogs revealed no signs of abuse. Sure, no abuse—except for them being kept illegally by a careless owner who created the circumstances of their horrific, needless deaths.
Speaking of which, Taylor tells the website, "It was an accident, something I have to live with for the rest of my life. I miss my dogs, period." He loved them so much, in fact, he was breeding them for sale on the Internet, LoHud.com reports.
Tagged
cane corso
illegal breeding
illegal kennels
italian mastiff
Ross Taylor
westchester
Westchester SPCA
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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