KEW GARDENS — A Maspeth woman was charged with animal cruelty for allegedly abusing her pet poodle and leaving it to die in a trash can near her home, according to the Queens district attorney’s office.
Authorities said 21−year−old Sonia Perez of 60−49 64th Place was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals and failure to provide an animal sustenance in Queens Criminal Court in Kew Gardens last Thursday.
According to the criminal complaint, a neighbor of Perez heard noises coming from a garbage can outside her apartment building and found Perez’s poodle inside. The complaint states the poodle was having trouble breathing, limp and unresponsive and immediately taken by Animal Care and Control for treatment and observation.
Authorities said the poodle died on March 4 and an autopsy revealed that the dog had scrotal bruising, rib fractures and was in poor hygenic condition.
Police said Perez was arrested the next day and faces up to two years in prison if convicted.
