Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Bronx Woman Convicted Of Animal Cruelty, Leaving Her Dog To Starve To Death
By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 17, 2011
Modified Aug 17, 2011
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
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 17, 2011
Modified Aug 17, 2011
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
The Bronx woman who was accused of abandoning her pit bull to starve to death after she was evicted from her apartment was convicted of animal cruelty today. Cherika Alvarez, 30, was found guilty of leaving behind 18-month-old pup Alize after she was evicted from her apartment in mid-November 2009. The dog was found six weeks later with two razor blades, ketchup packs, sharp pieces of wood and garbage in her stomach. "She left Alizé in that apartment like garbage and she walked away," said Bronx Assistant District Attorney Megan Mellem.
Officers from the ASPCA found the remains of the dog in the Belmont basement apartment in January 2010—Alize's body was so badly decomposed that officials "had to scrape her off the floor," Alvarez testified during the trial. According to doctors, the puppy had no body fat, was found amid a trail of bloody feces and had suffered four to six weeks of "complete starvation."
Alvarez claimed during the trial that she had arranged for a neighbor, whom she didn't know "from a hole in the wall," to pick up the dog, which they apparently never did. The single mother also said she had left water in the bath tub for the dog, but admitted she neglected to check up on the animal. She faces up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine at her Sept. 28 sentencing.
Tagged
abandonment
animal cruelty
bronx
dog
malnourished
pit bull
razor blades
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Queens man charged with hate crime at Jewish-owned bagel shop displaying Israeli flags
Prosecutors say the 22-year-old damaged property outside the Fresh Meadows shop twice in May.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 6:07 p.m. ET
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
In some cases, the damage was “clearly not recent."
By
Stephen Nessen
News
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
In some cases, the damage was “clearly not recent."
By
Stephen Nessen
High-ranking NYC officials to testify in ex-buildings boss Eric Ulrich's corruption trial
By
David Brand
Mamdani launches new team to help NYers keep SNAP, Medicaid benefits
By
Caroline Lewis
Riders at 53rd St. station where man was fatally shot say they worry about gun violence
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
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 .