Dog choked, eye pops out
West New York, NJ (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Sep 19, 2011
County: Hudson

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Rafael Ramirez-Alvarez

The West New York man charged with choking his girlfriend's dog until one of its eyes popped out made his first court appearance on the charges this afternoon and his bail was set at $15,000 with a 10 percent option.

Rafael Ramirez-Alvarez, 21, of 55th Street and Bergenline Avenue, appeared in Central Judicial Processing court in Jersey City via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny.

The Mexican national is charged with animal abuse and criminal mischief in connection to Monday's incident involving his girlfriend's Pomeranian. U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has begun deportation procedures against the Ramirez-Alvarez, court officials said.

The dog's owner told police she woke up about 1:30 a.m. Monday when she heard the dog crying and found her pet's face was bloody and its left eye was hanging out of its socket, officials said. She said Ramirez-Alvarez was nowhere to be found, officials said.

The next day, the woman called police and officers responded and transported both her and the dog to a veterinarian, officials said. A police investigation led to Ramirez-Alvarez and he was called to the police station yesterday and arrested at about noon, officials said.

Ramirez-Alvarez told police he returned home intoxicated in the early morning hours Monday and had slapped the dog, officials said, adding that the veterinarian said the dog's injuries were the result of having been choked. The veterinarian had to remove the severely damaged eye and was trying to save the other, officials said.

The defendant "purposely or knowingly damaged the tangible property of another, specifically by, strangling his girlfriend's dog (Pomeranian) until the eyes protruded from the skull, causing one eye to be surgically removed and veterinary bills between $5,000 to $7,000," the complaint on the criminal mischief charge says.

Probably cause for both charges are based on Ramirez-Alvarez own statements to West New York police.

Because ICE has lodged a detainer against Ramirez-Alvarez, he will not be released from jail even if he posts cash bail of $1,500. The case will undergo further investigation in preparation for presentation to a grand jury. The third degree animal cruelty charges carries a possible sentence of three to five years in prison.

Pomeranians weigh from 4.5 to 7.5 pounds and stand 5 inches to 11 inches tall.

References

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