Neighbor Accused of Throwing Ammonia in Dog's Eyes

The neighbor complained that the dog barked too much, according to a criminal complaint

A Staten Island woman is accused of throwing ammonia in the eyes of her next-door neighbors' dog.

Irene Helale, 69, is charged with felony animal cruelty and torturing and injuring animals.

Helale is accused of luring the 5-year-old English bulldog named Rocky to the fence separating her property from her neighbor's on Vassar Street by banging pots and pans on Sunday, the complaint said. When the dog came to the fence, she splashed a liquid in its eyes, according to the complaint.

She told police the dog barked too much, and she put ammonia on the floor to get the dog away, the criminal complaint against her said.

Rocky suffered ulcers in both eyes and may have permanent loss of sight, according to Dr. Robert Reisman of the ASPCA.

Helale declined to comment to the Staten Island Advance after her arraignment on Tuesday. Information on an attorney was not immediately available.

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