West Hampton Dunes Man Drowned Mother's Cat: Suffolk County SPCA

WESTHAMPTON DUNES, NY — A Westhampton Dunes man was arrested after he drowned his mother's cat, according to the Suffolk County SPCA.

Michael Moskowitz, 53, was arrested and charged with "a heinous act" of felony animal cruelty Sunday, according to the Suffolk County SPCA.

Moskowitz arrested by Suffolk County SPCA officers for drowning his mother's cat, Bonnie, in Moriches Bay in June, the SPCA said.

According to Suffolk County SPCA Chief Roy Gross, Moskowitz told officers he didn't want to spend the money to euthanize the aging cat, once he found out what it cost.

"So he decided to kill the cat himself," Gross said. "He put it in the carrier, brought it down to his dock and held it until it filled with water, then let it go. Think of how frightened that cat must have been; it must have been trying to claw its way out. It was a horrific act of animal cruelty."

Moskowitz, Gross said, allegedly drowned the cat in June; volunteers at a beach cleanup at Gull Island in Southold found the cat in its carrier on Sept. 18.

"Volunteers thought it was an old crate. They were totally shocked when the saw the decomposed remains of a cat," Gross said.

After an investigation, Moskowitz was arrested, was arraigned Monday and released on $2,500 bail, Gross said. He faces up to two years in jail, Gross said.

Moskowitz was transported and processed at New York State Police Barracks in Riverhead and arraigned in Southampton Town Justice Court on Monday, the SPCA said.

Felony aggravated cruelty to animals is known as "Buster's Law," named after a cat that was doused with kerosene and lit on fire, the SPCA said.

Gross said animal cruelty will not be tolerated: Anyone who witnesses any incident of animal cruelty or neglect in Suffolk County is asked to contact the Suffolk County SPCA at (631) 382-7722. All calls will be kept confidential.

Gross said he is passionate about his work. "I've been doing this for 34 years. I wake up at night, just thinking about things like this. How do you do something like that." He added, "If I can save one animal — and we save many — it's all worth it."

An attorney for Moskowitz could not immediately be reached for comment.