A Queens man who said he brought his emaciated and starving dog to a shelter because he didn't want it to die in his bedroom has pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty and other charges, authorities and his lawyer said.
Anthony Esteves, 25, initially claimed he had found the boxer in a park and gave a fake home address, but eventually admitted the animal was his, the Queens District Attorney's Office said.
The dog was unable to walk and its bones were clearly visible, prosecutors said. Instead of a healthy 60 pounds, it weighed 25 pounds.
"After (the) dog left there were blood stains in the kennel,” Animal Care and Control records say.
When authorities obtained a warrant and searched Esteves' home, they found a dog food dish on Esteves' dresser that was filled with the man's personal items, prosecutors said. There was no dog food anywhere in the house and no evidence any had ever been purchased, authorities said.
An ASPCA forensic veterinarian said it would have taken weeks and possibly months of mistreatment for a healthy dog to become so emaciated.
Esteves, of Ridgewood, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday to charges including aggravated cruelty to animals, falsifying business records and failure to provide sustenance, according to prosecutors.
His lawyer, Lauren Curatolo, said she and her client plan to fight the charges, which she said have prompted death threats to Esteves and his family.
She said the dog has been in Esteves' care since it was 1.
The organization Adopt A Boxer Rescue says that Brewster is being fostered near a veterinarian. The group is searching for an adoptive family. Brewster is recovering and gaining weight, prosecutors said.
Esteves could face up to four years in prison. He was released from custody and is due back in court on Dec. 15.
