Crime & Safety

Nassau Man Arrested After Trying to Kill His Dog: Police

BREAKING: Police say he put the dog in a garbage bag and hit it with a shovel.

A Levittown man was arrested Friday afternoon after police say he tried to kill his dog on the front lawn of his house.

According to detectives, at 2:45 p.m., Michael Gallagher, 56, of Silversmith Lane, while on his front lawn, was seen by a neighbor attempting to strangle and suffocate his dog by placing a plastic zip-tie around the dog’s neck and placing him in garbage bag. Police say Gallagher then struck the bag with a shovel.

The neighbor confronted Gallagher, and he then left the scene on foot. The neighbor opened the bag, cut the zip-tie from the dog’s neck and saw that the animal had suffered a severe cut to its head. The dog was then taken to the Levittown Animal Hospital where it was euthanized.

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Gallagher was located at a nearby 7-Eleven at 10:30 p.m. where he was placed under arrest without further incident. SPCA was notified, responded and assisted with the arrest processing. Gallagher is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals and torturing or injuring animals/failure to provide sustenance. He is scheduled be arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead on Saturday.

Photo: Shutterstock

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