Man Abandoned Dog, Charged With Animal Cruelty: Naugatuck Police

NAUGATUCK, CT — A Naugatuck man faces a charge of animal cruelty after police say he abandoned his dog earlier this week. The dog was found roaming and picked up by the Naugatuck Animal Control on May 17, according to police.

The owner hadn’t contacted Naugatuck police or the animal control to report that the dog was missing, officials said. Gerard Dougherty was found to be the dog’s owner following an investigation.

Dougherty, 35, of Wooster Street in Naugatuck, was arrested on a charge of cruelty to animals / abandonment. He was released on a $500 bond. The dog is currently unavailable for adoption, pending the result of the case, according to police.

Police said that the animal control is also investigating three other unrelated cases of animal abuse / abandonment and plan on submitting for arrest warrants for the owners of the dogs.

“We would like to inform our residents and residents of surrounding towns that Naugatuck WILL NOT tolerate abandonment and cruelty,” police wrote in a news release.