Nassau Man Severely Neglected Pet Tibetan Mastiff: DA

A New Hyde Park man was arrested on Wednesday for neglecting his pet Tibetan Mastiff to the point where it had wounds covered in thousands of live maggots, the Nassau County District Attorney said.

Dong Wang, 47, was charged with first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, failure to provide proper sustenance to an animal and possession and transportation of wildlife. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court on Sept. 19.

“Every pet deserves a loving and caring home, but this defendant allegedly neglected this innocent dog to such a degree that he was dangerously underweight and infested with insects,” District Attorney Madeline Singas said. “Despite this horrific abuse, skilled veterinarians nursed him back to health, and he is expected to make a full recovery. I am grateful to the outstanding work of our Animal Crimes team, and committed to holding this defendant accountable for this heartless crime.”

Singas said that on July 20, the Wang went to the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter to surrender an 18-month-old male Tibetan Mastiff that he claimed, on the surrender paperwork he filled out, was a stray. At the time of the surrender, staff members at the shelter noticed the dog was filthy, matted, smelling of urine and feces, and crawling with maggots.

A physical examination revealed the dog, named Hēi Hŭ, or "Black Tiger," was in severe physical distress, unable to walk or stand, had a high fever and labored breathing. The dog was also 30 to 40 pounds underweight, covered with ulcers on its skin, and infested with thousands of live maggots.

According to Singas, an investigation found that Wang had lied on the paperwork he filled out and that he was actually the dog's owner. That evening, officers from the Nassau County Police Department and the Nassau County SPCA made an emergency visit to Wang's home, Singas said, and found another Tibetan Mastiff and two poodle puppies living in poor conditions.

An investigation found that the defendant allegedly lied on the surrender paperwork and he was the dog’s owner. Additionally, on the evening of July 20, the Nassau County SPCA and Nassau County Police Department made an emergency visit to the defendant’s home and found three additional animals, including another Tibetan Mastiff and two poodle puppies, in poor living conditions.

Photos courtesy Nassau County District Attorney's Office