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First-ever Order Of Protection For A Pet!
LANDMARK DECISION: NEW YORK’S FIRST-EVER ORDER OF PROTECTION FOR A PET!
Late last month, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement officers arrested 20-year-old Bronx resident Frederick Fontanez for beating a 14-pound bichon frise named Bebe—and prompting a judge to issue the first-ever order of protection in New York for a pet. On July 20, Fontanez was in the home of Bebe’s owner with the dog. The owner returned that evening to find that Bebe had sustained multiple injuries, including severe bruising on his back and trauma to his left thigh and right eye. Neighbors reported that they had heard Bebe yelping loudly several times during the day. Bebe was taken to a local veterinarian and is expected to recover. Assistant District Attorney Heather Nicoletti of the Queens District Attorney’s office was granted the order for both the dog and his owner by Judge Alex J. Zigman. Fontanez was ordered to keep at least 100 yards away from Bebe and his owner. “The issuance of an order of protection for a pet in New York is a significant new development,” says the ASPCA’s Joseph Pentangelo, Assistant Director, Humane Law Enforcement. “Oftentimes, animals are caught in the cycle of domestic violence. The ASPCA welcomes this additional tool in the fight against animal cruelty.” |
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