Dog beaten, attacked with darts, mouth wired shut
Central Islip, NY (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Dec 30, 2008
County: Suffolk
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available
Alleged: John Bayliss
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A Central Islip man was charged with animal cruelty after he repeatedly tortured his 2-year-old pit bull, Emma, throwing metal game darts at her, beating her with metal pipes and tying her mouth shut with speaker wire, Suffolk police said.
John Bayliss, 39, of 6 Bayonne Ave., also was charged with third-degree menacing in an unrelated domestic dispute.
According to police and state records, Bayliss has a criminal history that includes convictions for second-degree assault - he served 4 years in prison after assaulting his 18-month-old son in 1997 - weapons possession and criminal trespass.
The boy lives with his mother, police said.
Officers who investigated a domestic disturbance call Tuesday afternoon said the house Bayliss shares with his girlfriend had been converted into apartments, with unsafe wiring and partitions, Suffolk County police Lt. James Gruenfelder said.
That is also when police learned of the allegations that Bayliss regularly beat one of his two pit bulls, Gruenfelder said.
Police took several items they said Bayliss used to torment Emma over the past year: speaker wire, metal game darts, a foot-long metal flashlight, and two metal pipes about an inch in diameter - one 2 feet long, the other 3 feet long.
"It was a very, very friendly dog, too, believe it or not," Gruenfelder said. "In spite of all of that."
Emma, who is black with a white chest, had scars on several parts of her body. Bayliss' other dog, Lexie, also 2 years old, was not beaten, police said.
Bayliss adopted Emma as a puppy two years ago, Gruenfelder said. Islip Town animal control officers took the dogs for veterinary care. Emma still is receiving treatment, while Lexie is at the Islip animal shelter, Gruenfelder said.
The Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals aided in the animal abuse investigation, and the Islip Town fire marshal is investigating the unsafe living conditions, police said.
Bayliss' bail was set at $5,000 and bond at $15,000 at his arraignment Wednesday in First District Court in Central Islip.
He remained at the Suffolk County Jail in Riverhead last night, the Suffolk sheriff's office said.
Case UpdatesA Central Islip man charged with throwing darts at his 2-year-old pit bull and tying her mouth shut with wire is not likely to get the dog back, Suffolk police said Friday.
John Bayliss, 39, was charged with animal cruelty Tuesday after Suffolk police responding to an unrelated domestic disturbance call found scars on the dog, Emma.
Bayliss' criminal record includes convictions for weapons possession and criminal trespass. He served 4 years in prison for assaulting his son.
Emma, and a second dog, Lexie, who was not harmed, remained at the Islip Town animal shelter Friday. Both were doing well, said shelter supervisor Joanne Daly.
It was unclear Friday whether Emma and Lexie will be put up for adoption.
"I can't imagine he's ever going to get these dogs back," said Suffolk police Lt. James Gruenfelder.
Bayliss, who also was charged with third-degree menacing in connection with the domestic dispute, remained in Suffolk County jail on Friday on $5,000 bail. He is to return to court Tuesday. | Source: Newsday - Jan 3, 2009
Update posted on Jan 3, 2009 - 2:51PM |
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