Exclusive | Nearly 3K cases of animal cruelty were reported in NYC over a decade: ASPCA

New Yorkers are more likely to report abuse and neglect against dogs than they are of cruelty against cats, according to data in a new report to be released by the ASPCA on May 5.Of the 2,783 animal abuse cases reported to the ASPCA and the NYPD between 2013 and 2022, the overwhelming majority — 2,271 — involved neglected or mistreated dogs, like the Queens man arrested in 2022 for keeping close to 50 puppies in deplorable conditions.Cat cases were reported 408 times, the data shows — including the cruel Brooklyn punk who in 2014 was busted after posting a video on Facebook of himself savagely kicking a helpless cat through the air.“Cruelty toward cats appears less well understood and may be under-reported or more severe, requiring further research and attention,” the ASPCA said in its report.Most of the Big Apple’s canine abuse cases — 1,424 — involved allegations of neglect or abandonment, while the bulk of the cat cases — 233 — involved deliberately-inflicted injuries they almost never survived.The ASPCA said abuse of cats is likely “more severe than currently recognized.”The ASPCA has been working with the NYPD on animal abuse cases in the five boroughs since January 2014.More than 800 reports of animal abuse originated in the Bronx, with Brooklyn reporting 736 cases.In Manhattan, 570 animals were reported abused or abandoned, while Queens had 472 cases.Staten Island — home to the “Outerbridge Cowboy,” Doc Mishler, who was charged in 2016 with animal cruelty — had 187 reported instances of abuse.The ASPCA and NYPD responded to 33 reports of organized animal fighting over the same nine-year period.“The continued prevalence of animal cruelty suggests that its causes are complex and pervasive,” reads the final report.

“We must employ concerted, coordinated, and innovative approaches to address the ongoing issue and reduce the future occurrence of animal cruelty.”...