What to Know
- A 27-year-old man from Philadelphia is facing animal cruelty charges stemming from a traffic stop in New York City in which eight malnourished dogs were found in his car -- seven of which were discovered inside a lidded bin, the local district attorney said.
- Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday that Ravon Service was charged with torturing and failing to provide food and drink to animals in connection with a Rego Park police stop Saturday.
- Service was arraigned on eight counts of failure to provide proper food and drink to an impounded animal; eight counts of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals/failure to provide sustenance; seven counts of carrying animals in a cruel manner and traffic violations. If convicted, he faces up to two years in prison.
A 27-year-old man from Philadelphia is facing animal cruelty charges stemming from a traffic stop in New York City in which eight malnourished dogs were found in his car -- seven of which were discovered inside a lidded bin, the local district attorney said.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday that Ravon Service was charged with torturing and failing to provide food and drink to animals in connection with a Rego Park police stop Saturday.
Service was arraigned on eight counts of failure to provide proper food and drink to an impounded animal; eight counts of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals/failure to provide sustenance; seven counts of carrying animals in a cruel manner and traffic violations.
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According to the charges, on Nov. 26, at about 4 p.m., Service was stopped by a cop near the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and Furmanville Avenue for having a loud engine exhaust on the 2001 Lexus he was driving. The police officer observed a large dog in the back seat of the vehicle who appeared "emaciated and showed protruding bones on its ribs, hips, and back areas," according to the district attorney's office.
Upon a further look, police found in the backseat of the car seven puppies in a plastic storage bin with the lid that did not provide sufficient air supply and did not contain food or water.
The animals were taken to a local veterinary hospital where the adult female dog was treated for malnourishment and the seven puppies were treated for diarrhea symptoms.
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Service is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 10. If convicted, he faces up to two years in prison.
Attorney information for Service was not immediately known.
“Thankfully, these voiceless, defenseless victims have been rescued from their miserable circumstances," Katz said. "Animal cruelty is unacceptable and illegal and we will hold abusers accountable.”
