STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The trailer where around two dozen huskies were kept inside a Tompkinsville lot had feces and urine caked on its floor — everywhere a dog could sit or lie down — and a window opened just one inch for air in sweltering temperatures, said court documents filed in Richmond County Criminal Court that detailed the horrid conditions.
A grey and white husky named Zeus was also chained to a fence at the Van Duzer Street location, leaving its neck without fur and oozing blood and puss, read the criminal complaint. Food at the site was rotting and crawling with live maggots and dogs were allegedly left with foul-smelling and brackish standing water in a children’s pool.
One of the female dogs had a littler of eight puppies huddled under the trailer and one had died, authorities allege, and all of the animals were forced to endure exorbitant levels of heat as Staten Island baked in high temperatures over the past few weeks.
Victor Quinteros, 54, was arraigned Monday on one count of aggravated cruelty to animals, 24 counts of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals, 24 counts of failing to provide proper food and drink to an impounded animal, multiple counts of criminal mischief and one count of third degree criminal tampering.
The criminal complaint against Quinteros said the injuries were made to the dogs in a “depraved and sadistic manner.”
Authorities said abused and neglected husky dogs were rescued by the New York City Office of the Sheriff and the ASPCA Animal Rescue Unit on Van Duzer Street in Tompkinsville on July 29, 2022. (Staten Island Advance/Derek Alvez)
Authorities said abused and neglected husky dogs were rescued by the New York City Office of the Sheriff and the ASPCA Animal Rescue Unit on Van Duzer Street in Tompkinsville on July 29, 2022. (Staten Island Advance/Derek Alvez)
Quinteros was arrested last week by New York City Sheriff’s deputies, who carried out a raid operation alongside ASPCA workers at a fenced-in area along the 100 block of Van Duzer Street.
Court documents allege Quinteros told a law enforcement official on July 28, 2022, “I run an animal rescue here” at the lot concealed by a tarped, barbed-wire fence. The next day, officials were armed with a search warrant to conduct a blitz on the location.
The dogs appeared to be malnourished with fur and paws matted with feces, and the same dark-colored water the dogs drank from was also being used by the animals to clean themselves, alleged the criminal complaint.
The huskies were kept in “extremely decrepit conditions,” read the complaint.
Quinteros was arraigned and had bail set at $20,000 cash or $75,000 bond.
A spokesman for the Legal Aid Society — a public defender with the organization assigned to Quinteros’ case — previously declined to comment.
Weeks prior to the raid, Quinteros allegedly assaulted a person at the same location, an NYPD spokesperson said Sunday.
A source familiar with that arrest said he was accused of punching a 40-year-old woman in the face after suspecting her of peeking into the property. The defendant faces charges of misdemeanor assault and second-degree harassment in that case, court records indicates.
Authorities said abused and neglected husky dogs were rescued by the New York City Office of the Sheriff and the ASPCA Animal Rescue Unit on Van Duzer Street in Tompkinsville on July 29, 2022. (Staten Island Advance/Derek Alvez)
Authorities said abused and neglected husky dogs were rescued by the New York City Office of the Sheriff and the ASPCA Animal Rescue Unit on Van Duzer Street in Tompkinsville on July 29, 2022. (Staten Island Advance/Derek Alvez)
