Nassau Man Charged With Neglecting His Dog

A North Baldwin man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly abusing his 5-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, JJ, by not feeding or cleaning him.

Jason Armstrong, 34, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of failure to provide sustenance to animals, a misdemeanor. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court July 31. If convicted, Armstrong faces up to a year in jail.

"Every pet deserves a loving home, but this defendant is charged with heartbreaking neglect that caused an innocent animal to unnecessarily suffer and nearly die," said District Attorney Madeline Singas. "I'm grateful to the skilled veterinarians who nursed this dog back to health and to our Animal Crimes Unit for bringing this case."

Singas said that on May 16, Armstrong surrendered the dog to the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter and told shelter officials that the dog had not been eating or urinating. Shelter officials noticed that JJ was dirty and appeared to be emaciated. A shelter veterinarian examined the dog – who weighed approximately three pounds – and determined that the animal was approximately half the normal body weight he should have been. The veterinarian concluded that JJ was severely emaciated, seemed depressed and his eyes were crusted shut with mats and infection. Additionally, x-rays revealed a retained testicle, bladder stone and an older fracture in his tail. JJ was also covered in urine, had severe tartar disease and was severely dehydrated.

After meeting with Armstrong, DA investigators discovered that he had allegedly known about the dog’s health issues for more than a year. During that time, a veterinarian provided temporary relief – but told Armstrong that surgery and treatment were necessary.

Following treatment, JJ fully recovered and was released back to the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter where he was adopted by a loving family.

Photo: Nassau County District Attorney's Office