On Dec.18, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Special Agent Adam Gankiewicz arrested New Yorker Sarah Favorite on charges of aggravated animal cruelty, a felony. If convicted, Favorite faces up to two years in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Favorite, a 25-year-old AIDS counselor, was arrested for beating her boyfriend’s cat at his East 86th Street apartment. The 17-year-old male Siamese, Yoda, suffered fractures, three broken legs and severe trauma from being beaten, throttled and slammed to the floor over a two-day period. Yoda was taken by his owner to a local animal hospital, where he was euthanized.
"Sadly, it is not at all unusual for pets to be used as pawns in domestic disputes,” said the ASPCA’s Joseph Pentangelo, Assistant Director, Humane Law Enforcement. “People will often harm a pet in order to intimidate or lash out at someone, because they know how much the pet is loved. This type of behavior is not restricted to specific classes or economic zones—it crosses all boundaries."
The ASPCA works with legislators across the country to enact state laws authorizing judges to issue protection orders for pets.
To learn how to report animal cruelty, visit the ASPCA's Report Cruelty section.
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