Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly is leading a push to give judges more power in punishing the most brutal offenders of crimes against animals.
Standing before pit bulls rescued from a life of dogfighting, Donnelly didn’t hold back.
"If anybody thinks that someone who would commit a crime against an innocent animal is not dangerous," she said, "they know nothing about the mind of criminals."
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WATCH HEREUnder current New York State law, prosecutors cannot ask for bail in animal cruelty cases — even in extreme instances. Donnelly wants to change that, arguing that giving judges the discretion to set bail could act as a deterrent.
"These are the worst of the worst cases," said Donnelly, "people kicking, maiming, even burning their pets. If judges had the option to set bail, maybe that would give them pause to think twice."
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SIGN UP State Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick is backing the effort, echoing Donnelly’s concerns.
"Anyone who would harm an animal is more likely to harm a human being — a child, a vulnerable person, or anybody who can’t speak for themselves," she said.
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On May 5, authorities uncovered 61 cats in a Bohemia home — many emaciated, over two dozen dead in a freezer. The homeowner is now facing aggravated animal cruelty charges.
Donnelly pointed to a Feb. 2025 case in Albany where a Bronx man is facing serious charges after police say he left his one year old pit bull in a crate for several days without food and water and then set it on fire.
“This is about real consequences,” Donnelly said. “A person who would starve a dog and set him on fire — how is that not a danger to society? Let judges decide, based on the facts.”
A bill co-sponsored by Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick to allow that kind of discretion failed in committee earlier in May. But with six weeks remaining in the legislative session, advocates are hoping a renewed public outcry will help get it reintroduced.
