Case Snapshot
Case ID: 19788
Classification: Throwing, Drowning
Animal: dog (pit-bull)
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Abuse was retaliation against animal's bad behavior
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Sunday, Aug 12, 2012

County: Monroe

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Keshawn John-Charles

A Rochester man is facing felony animal cruelty charges after police say he killed his girlfriend's dog.

Keshawn John-Charles is accused of throwing his three-month-old American Pit Bull Terrier against the wall and then tried to drown it in a bathtub.

Police say it happened August 12 at an undisclosed location in Brockport and that a witness of the abuse called police right after incident.

When police arrived, John-Charles and the dog left the scene. Police later found them at a home in Clarkson.

"What's alleged is that he was unhappy with the dog and whatever training he was trying to do with him," said Lt. Mark Cuzzupoli of the Brockport Police Department.

Police say the dog has obvious neck and spine injuries and had trouble breathing.

Brockport police worked with the Town of Sweden Dog Warden, Lollypop Farm and an animal hospital to try to save the puppy, but despite their best efforts, the puppy had to be put down.

"We felt the best thing for the pup. It was not going to be able to breathe," said Kathryn Beaumont, a dog control officer for the Town of Sweden. "So we decided to put him down."

Neighbors tell 13WHAM News that John-Charles and his girlfriend recently moved into their Clarkson home and that there never appeared to be any problems.

John-Charles faces felony charges of aggravated cruelty to animals, which could carry at least a year in jail.

Beaumont, who has worked with dog control for 26 years, hopes this case will teach people to reach out and get involved in their community when it comes to the welfare of animals.

"I'm hoping more people would come forward to ask and not be afraid," Beaumont said.

John-Charles is due back in court on September 10th.

References

« NY State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Monroe County, NY

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