Watch the video at: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/5j4n9fod3lpn3cvrux57g/AFrSFbUlk1TIcCibd1bS9OQ?rlkey=2r69kd2me8vzt034zsqdpjezm&st=lda6qjuk&dl=0
SPCA Westchester’s Humane Law Enforcement Unit (HLE), under the direction of Ernest Lungaro, has arrested Cole Kamrath of Peekskill, NY, and charged him with animal cruelty.
Video recorded on July 26th was provided to the SPCA’s HLE Unit by Dogtopia of Mount Kisco, showing Cole Kamrath, an employee at the time, violently slamming a dog on a grooming table during a nail trimming. Milo, a 14 lb. senior rat terrier, is then seen collapsing as he loses consciousness.
When Milo returned home, his owners noted that he wasn’t walking properly, constantly sleeping, and had lost his appetite. He was then rushed to a local veterinarian who discovered bruising all along Milo’s torso, indicative of a recent trauma.
“We are extremely grateful that Milo’s abuser was captured on video and that this horrific act of cruelty was reported to the SPCA’s HLE Unit,” says Shannon Laukhuf, SPCA Westchester’s Chief Executive Officer. “It is deeply disturbing that someone in a profession dedicated to caring for animals would so deliberately and viciously harm one.”
“As a dog lover and owner, I am appalled by the cruel and callous conduct alleged in this case,” says Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace.“When someone is entrusted with the care of another person’s beloved pet, they have a responsibility to treat that animal with kindness and respect. I am grateful to our partners at SPCA Westchester for their diligent investigation and working closely with my office’s Animal Cruelty Coordinator, and I commend Dogtopia Daycare for taking swift action upon learning of the alleged abuse of sweet Milo. Our animals depend on us to protect them and speak for them, and there is never an excuse for subjecting an animal to this kind of cruelty.”
Cole Kamrath is scheduled to appear in Mount Kisco Court on September 24th.
*If you witness or suspect an animal is being neglected or abused, please call the SPCA’s Confidential Cruelty Hotline at (914) 941-7797. SPCA Westchester is NOT affiliated with any national animal welfare organizations. Learn more at spcawestchester.org.