Mahopac man arrested for animal cruelty after trip to the vet

According to a press release, Putnam County SPCA got a call on Jan. 29 from East Fishkill Police police and the Town of East Fishkill animal control unit alerting officers that Max's owner, Jose Monroy, had brought his dog to an  East Fishkill vet and “the animal showed signs of severe neglect to its ears and body.”

“The dog had not walked for days due to swelling caused by abscesses all over its body,” the SPCA press release said. “The ears were so infected and neglected that the ear canal had become so small, that when the attending veterinarian attempted to put a scope inside the animal screamed in pain. Blood was observed inside the canal as well.”

East Fishkill Police took the dog to Hudson Valley Animal Rescue and Sanctuary in Arlington, where he was examined and underwent blood tests. According to the SPCA, the vets at HVAR found an elevated white blood cell count, as well as bruising and swelling to Max’s neck.

“Upon receiving this information, Putnam County SPCA Detectives opened a criminal investigation,” the SPCA said. 

Putnam County SPCA Detectives interviewed Monroy at his Mahopac home, arrested him and took him to the Carmel Police Department for processing. Monroy was charged with one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty and will be arraigned in the Town of Carmel Justice Court on Feb. 25.

The Putnam County SPCA tanked East Fishkill Animal Control, East Fishkill Police, Carmel Police, East Fishkill Animal Hospital, and Hudson Valley Animal Rescue and Sanctuary for assisting in this investigation.