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Health & Fitness

MEDIA RELEASE: Spring Valley Man Pleads "Guilty" to 8 Counts of Animal Cruelty

May 27, 2014 - Pomona, NY:   Craig “Zee” Braxton, 48, pled guilty to 8 counts of “overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide proper sustenance” as defined in the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law, Article 26 Section 353.   A total of 14 dogs comprising of 9 German Shepherds and 5 Rottweilers were seized from his residence in New Hempstead pursuant to a warrant executed February 10, 2014.  All of the dogs were immediately taken to a team of veterinarians for examination and treatment.  Thereafter the dogs were held at the Hudson Valley Humane Society’s facility on Quaker Road in Pomona and at another, undisclosed location.   Mr. Braxton’s guilty plea in the Town of Ramapo Justice Court included:

  • Forfeiture of all 14 dogs to the Hudson Valley Humane Society ("HVHS")
  • $12,000.00 restitution to the HVHS representing a portion of the expenses related to the care of these dogs
  • Mr. Braxton is unable to own dogs for a period of 1-year
  • Monitoring and unscheduled supervision by the HVHS of Mr. Braxton’s residence for a period of 1-year
All 14 dogs are currently available for adoption and can be viewed at the HVHS website: www.hvhumane.org Adoptions are by appointment only; interested parties should contact the HVHS at hvhsny@optonline.net or at 845-354-3124. The HVHS reserves the right to approve or deny any adoption application.

Some of the available dogs include:
  • "PARIS" - a 2 year old spayed, female Rottweiler
  • "BONNIE" - an approximately 4-5 year old spayed, female German Shepherd
  • "TARA" - an approximately 11 month old spayed, female German Shepherd
  • "GUS" - an approximately 2 year old neutered, male German Shepherd
  • "CLYDE" - an approximately 2 year old neutered, male German Shepherd

HVHS Humane Law Enforcement Chief of Patrol, Richard Raheb and Agent Ann Marie Gaudio, led the investigation. Rockland County Assistant District Attorney, Michael Dugandzic presented the case. The statute under which Mr. Braxton pled guilty is as follows:

Article 26, § 353. A person who overdrives, overloads, tortures or cruelly beats or unjustifiably injures, maims, mutilates or kills any animal, whether wild or tame, and whether belonging to himself or to another, or deprives any animal of necessary sustenance, food or drink, or neglects or refuses to furnish it such sustenance or drink, or causes, procures or permits any animal to be overdriven, overloaded, tortured, cruelly beaten, or unjustifiably injured, maimed, mutilated or killed, or to be deprived of necessary food or drink, or who willfully sets on foot, instigates, engages in, or in any way furthers any act of cruelty to any animal, or any act tending to produce such cruelty, is guilty of a class A misdemeanor and for purposes of paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section 160.10 of the criminal procedure law, shall be treated as a misdemeanor defined in the penal law.

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About the Hudson Valley Humane Society
The HVHS is a private “no-kill” animal welfare organization and receives no government funding. Founded 123 years ago in 1891, the HVHS has undergone 3 relocations before finding its permanent home on approximately 5 acres in Pomona. The HVHS embraced a “no-kill” philosophy more than 20 years ago and continues to help protect abused, neglected and unwanted animals in Rockland County. The HVHS has full police powers to carry out humane law enforcement via its 4 agents who actively investigate acts of cruelty to animals.

Reporting Animal Cruelty to HVHS may be done online through the organization’s website at www.hvhumane.org, by emailing reportcruelty@hvhumane.org or calling 845-354-3124.

Donations to the HVHS can be made by phone 845-354-3124 or online at www.hvhumane.org click “Donate” to use PayPal and all major credit cards. For more information about how you can donate or become a sponsor please call 917-701-3870.

Hudson Valley Humane Society
200 Quaker Road
Pomona, NY. 10970
845.354.3124
www.hvhumane.org


Media Contact:
Roxxy Blues, Inc.
917.701.3870


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