A Sound Beach husband and wife are facing animal cruelty charges after Suffolk County SPCA detectives say they let their five-year-old dog waste away to just 37 pounds, confined to a crate without enough food or water for months. Michael O’Brien, 39, and Jenecia O’Brien, 37, were each hit with two misdemeanor counts this week over the condition of their Coonhound-Boxer mix, Kobe.
According to tbrnewsmedia.com, the alleged neglect stretched from early this year through October, with Kobe kept in a crate inside the home without adequate wholesome food and water. Each of the O’Briens was charged with one misdemeanor count of failure to provide necessary veterinary care and one misdemeanor count of failure to provide proper food and drink to an impounded animal, per the same report.
Investigators say Kobe weighed just 37 pounds when he was brought in for veterinary care, far below the 65 to 67 pounds typically expected for a dog of his breed and age. He was assigned a body condition score of 1 out of 5, a figure that indicates severe emaciation, the outlet reported.
Sores Consistent With Prolonged Confinement
Veterinarians also found multiple apparent ulcerative lesions over bony areas of Kobe’s body, including his hindquarters and limbs. The injuries were described as consistent with prolonged pressure and may have been linked to limited movement or extended confinement, according to the report from the Suffolk County SPCA.
Kobe is now receiving medical treatment at a local animal shelter as he begins his recovery, the outlet reported. Suffolk County SPCA detectives issued Michael and Jenecia O’Brien a Field Appearance Ticket on Oct. 12, and the couple is scheduled to be arraigned in First District Court in Central Islip on Oct. 30.
Part of a Wider Pattern on Long Island
Kobe’s case follows a string of other Suffolk County neglect investigations this year. In September, the SPCA charged 20-year-old Wheatley Heights resident Isaiah Thomas with two misdemeanor counts after his four-year-old Cane Corso, Apollo, was found severely underweight with a body condition score of 2 out of 9, along with a flea infestation, wounds, muscle loss and skin disease, as reported by longisland.com. Investigators said Apollo had been confined to a basement without adequate food and water.
In January, Suffolk SPCA detectives uncovered an even larger-scale case when they found roughly 100 Maine Coon cats living in deplorable conditions inside a West Islip home, according to danspapers.com. Together, the cases point to a steady caseload for the county’s animal cruelty investigators, who continue to pursue neglect complaints across Long Island communities.
