LI Man Slammed 1-Year-Old Dog To Ground Breaking Its Leg: SPCA

WYANDANCH, NY — A Wyandanch man was caught on surveillance video slamming his one-year-old Pitbull mix on the ground — breaking the animal’s leg, according to the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

SPCA Chief Roy Gross said that on Aug. 12 the Babylon Animal Shelter reported a stray dog in their care appeared to have been abused, and after an investigation which involved reviewing surveillance video and interviewing possible witnesses, detectives charged Jose Martinez-Vasquez, 44, with cruelty to animals on Aug. 16.

Surveillance video footage from Aug. 9 showed Martinez-Vasquez lifting his dog “Rocky” over his head and then “forcibly slamming him to the ground, causing the dog to suffer a broken leg,” Gross said.

Gross said the attack was without provocation.

“It was for no reason,” he said. “You can’t make this stuff up.”

Martinez-Vasquez was also charged with filing a false statement after it was determined that he lied in a written statement that was given to investigators.

He is scheduled to appear in First District Court in Central Islip on Sept. 3. It is not clear if he has an attorney.

Chief Gross said animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Suffolk, and advised anyone who has witnessed an incident of animal cruelty or neglect to contact the SPCA at (631) 382-7722.