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Shannon Deleg, 33, of Peekskill, was arrested by SPCA Westchester’s Humane Law Enforcement Unit and charged with three counts of animal cruelty, the agency announced on Thursday, March 6.
The investigation began after a tip to the SPCA’s confidential animal cruelty hotline led officers to Deleg’s apartment. Inside, they discovered a severely malnourished pit bull, now named Gracie, curled up in a ball with her ribs and spine visibly protruding. Weighing only 27 pounds—about half of what she should—Gracie was barely surviving, officials said.
Two additional mixed-breed dogs were also found locked inside a cramped, filthy cage, forced to live in layers of urine and feces. All three dogs were extremely underweight and dehydrated, prompting authorities to remove them from the home and rush them to SPCA Westchester’s Rescue Center for urgent medical treatment, according to the SPCA.
"These poor dogs likely cried and begged for food and it’s heartbreaking that their pleas were ignored," said SPCA Westchester CEO Shannon Laukhuf, who continued, "We are so thankful that a Good Samaritan called the SPCA’s cruelty hotline before they were starved to death."
Officials urge anyone who suspects animal neglect or abuse to report it to the SPCA’s confidential hotline at 914-941-7797.
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