By Nathan Duke
A 39-year-old Flushing man was arrested in late August and could face jail time after he allegedly neglected his two injured dogs, a spokesman for the city's American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said.
Kwang Lee, who lives on Bayside Lane in Flushing, was charged with two counts of animal cruelty and was scheduled to return to Queens Criminal Court in one month, ASPCA Assistant Director Joseph Pentangelo said.
The defendant, arrested last week, could face up to two years in jail and $4,000 in fines, Pentangelo said.
“There is a level of care that [owners] are required to provide to a pet and that level was surely not met,” he said of the case.
Lee, who could not be reached for comment, allegedly left his 9-year-old Pomeranian, Willie, unconscious and bleeding after the dog appeared to have been struck by a car, Pentangelo said. A neighbor spotted the wounded animal, which had not been treated for its injuries, and called the ASPCA, he said.
Investigators allegedly found that Lee had also not properly cared for his Chihuahua, Albie, which walked on a bent leg from an injury that had not been treated or healed properly, Pentangelo said.
Both dogs were taken to the ASPCA's Manhattan center on East 92nd Street, where they have since recovered, he said. The dogs are both currently up for adoption, he said.
Pentangelo said Willie was treated for shock and underwent surgery on a dislocated hip. The dog had also been suffering from severe dental disease, so two of his teeth had to be removed, Pentangelo said. Willie had difficulty eating and was not able to stand when the ASPCA found him, he said.
Albie had been suffering from an untreated broken leg, which forced him to limp, Pentangelo said. The defendant also owned several hamsters that were also removed from the home and have since been put up for adoption, he said.
Pentangelo said ASPCA's veterinarian found that Willie's injuries were consistent with having been hit by a car. He said the dog had suffered trauma to his back. He said it was unclear how Albie's leg had been broken.
The ASPCA, founded in 1866, is a nonprofit organization that handles animal cruelty cases in the five boroughs and is able to arrest violators.
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
