Man Charged with Killing Girlfriend's Dog

A Long Island man was charged Wednesday with felony animal cruelty for beating and killing his girlfriend's dog last month, law enforcement officials said.

Vincent A. Maio, 18, of Selden, was arrested for allegedly picking up the dog, throwing it into a nightstand, and then punching it in the head, Suffolk County SPCA chief Roy Gross said.

The dog, a 5-year-old female Pomeranian named Foxy, was brought to a local veterinarian and had multiple rib fractures, a broken chest and a punctured lung.

Foxy's condition deteriorated so much at her veterinarian's office that CPR had to be performed before she died.

"This was a horrible act of animal cruelty," Gross said. "Foxy was a very docile dog who did not deserve to be treated in this cruel manner."

It was not immediately clear whether Maio had a lawyer and there was no listing for him in the area.

Contact Us