The Essex County Sheriff's Department arrested Robert Grey, Jr. on Tuesday and charged him with one count of felony aggravated cruelty to animals after receiving a complaint that he abused a three-month-old puppy.
Grey was arraigned in Town of Moriah Court in front of Justice Richard Carpenter and remanded to the Essex County Jail.
Grey has been released on bail, with a court date slated for Monday.
“The extent of the injuries haven’t been determined at this point,” said Essex County Sheriff Richard Cutting.
Essex County District Attorney Kristy Sprague declined comment, citing an ongoing investigation.
A Facebook page that appears to be Grey’s contains several pictures of the 22-year-old with animals, including a mutt in the back of a vehicle.
Calls to a number listed in the phone book under Robert Grey went unanswered on Thursday.
Grey’s arrest comes when animal abuse is reentering the local discussion.
Essex County is continuing to coordinate stakeholders as part of an animal cruelty task force formed in January 2013 after the North Country SPCA spearheaded an effort by local citizens who said the county wasn't doing enough to address animal abuse.
High-profile cases, including the 41 horses seized from an Essex farm, continued to fuel dialogue and keep the issue alive.
Last year, the department released their first report.
Among other findings, the report determined state animal cruelty laws “is a patchwork of vague, confusing, and outdated provisions” that have hindered the enforcement and prosecution of animal crimes in Essex County and that stakeholders continue to be confused over what constitutes animal cruelty in the county.
The report also said Essex County agencies dealing with domestic violence issues confirmed a strong link between violence toward family members and pet abuse.
(Sun Community News - Jan 21, 2016)
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