Former Pet-Sitting Owner Charged With Animal Cruelty

Pit bull

A New York woman who once was the owner of a pet-sitting business was charged with animal cruelty for neglecting and leaving two pit bulls to die of hunger and thirst. The two dogs were locked in cages in an abandoned house.

SPCA officers found the emaciated pit bulls at the former home of Antonia Bonanno. Authorities received a tip from neighbors that dogs had been left in the abandoned house. They scheduled meetings with Bonanno to enter the house, but she never showed. Eventually officers had to get a search warrant.

The two female pit bulls, both about one to two-years-old were in cramped cages, and the dogs had not been fed or given water for at least three days. A veterinarian said their kidneys had begun to fail.

A SPCA officer said the dogs were near death and both had hookworm and whipworm. They were treated at the animal shelter and have been adopted.

Bonnano said her husband is framing her as part of their divorce. But her husband said he only reported her to authorities to help the dogs.

She added that she had rescued the pit bulls and was trying to find them homes, but she was then forced to leave her house.

Bonanno faces two counts of animal cruelty. If she is convicted, she faces a maximum of a year in prison and a $1,000 fine.

Source: Newsday

5 Responses to “Former Pet-Sitting Owner Charged With Animal Cruelty”

  1. Nancy G. says:

    She was ‘forced to leave the house.’ Her husband is ‘framing her’ by reporting the abandoned dogs. At what point would she have done something for the dogs, to save them? And stop making excuses and passing the blame. Lock her up in a tiny cell for 3 days with no food or water…

  2. pit bull mommy x4 says:

    What happened to the cages she left the dogs in? That would be about the correct size cell. You don’t rescue animals then leave them to die. If you can’t help them send them to a shelter or give them to someone who can. There is never a good excuse for treating dogs that way, Lock her in one of those cages for 3 days with no food, water or bathroom breaks. Oh I forgot that would be considered cruel and unusual punishment, what makes it okay to do that to animals but not people?

  3. kathy says:

    No excuse, just plain no excuse. There are too many places that shelter animals for her to even think she had no choice. The very least she could have done is call the police, much as I don’t trust them……

  4. Jenny Bark says:

    I agree with all of you, no excuse PERIOD. I agree with you, put her in the cage for 3 days without food & water & then let her serve her full time in jail & pay the full fine. The poor babies, I hope they both have a good home now & are happy.

  5. Donna says:

    Torture and abuse, lack of food water and a caged situation with no way out is NOT a rescue ! How does this woman “think” she helped these dogs ? Arrest her and charge with abuse and cruelty. I am very tired of stupid excuses from humans.

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