A pit bull found abandoned in Weehawken was so severely emaciated that every rib and vertebra was visible, according to the rescue group now caring for her. Weehawken police say 's Emil Bustamante has been arrested and charged in connection with her abandonment, and the dog, now named Sabrina, remains hospitalized as she fights to recover from starvation.
The discovery began with a Weehawken Mayor's Office employee who found the dog and immediately contacted police, according to Hudson County View. That same employee then coordinated assistance from Pitbulls & Addicts and Near and Far Rescues to retrieve the dog and arrange veterinary treatment, the outlet reported. Pitbulls & Addicts has said Sabrina remains in serious condition and continues to receive care.
The rescue group's account of her condition is stark. Pitbulls & Addicts told Shore News Network that she is still hospitalized and recovering from the effects of starvation, adding that every rib and vertebra was visible when she was found tied up and abandoned.
Investigation Leads to Union City Arrest
Investigators located Bustamante in the 3800 block of John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Union City and arrested him without incident on Nov. 6, per the same Hudson County View account. The investigation was led by Weehawken Detective Commander Lt. Joseph Poole and Detective David Fitzpatrick, with Humane Law Enforcement Officer Geoffrey Santini assisting.
According to that report, additional evidence uncovered during the investigation, combined with consultation with the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, led to upgraded charges against Bustamante. Weehawken police say he now faces third-degree animal cruelty and animal abandonment charges. Shore News Network, however, reported that Pitbulls & Addicts said Bustamante instead faces a disorderly persons offense and was issued a court summons — a version of events the outlet said it had not independently confirmed.
The Weehawken Police Department publicly recognized several agencies for assisting in the case: the Union City Police Department Patrol Division, the Jersey City Police Department Intelligence Unit, and the Weehawken Animal Control Department, the report notes.
A Pattern of Local Animal Cruelty Cases
Sabrina's case follows a string of local animal cruelty investigations in Hudson County. In a separate case in Bayonne, 11 pit bulls were removed from a fourth-floor apartment during an overnight rescue that ran from about 11:30 p.m. Friday until roughly 3 a.m. Saturday, according to the same Hudson County View coverage. Six of those dogs were adults between three and six years old, while five were puppies expected to be adoptable.
In that Bayonne investigation, authorities said dog fighting was not occurring at the time they were on scene, and it remained unclear whether the animals were fighting dogs or bait dogs. Two of the 11 dogs were seized for medical and behavioral evaluation, while the other nine stayed in the care of New Jersey Animal Control & Rescue. A Bayonne animal cruelty investigator said at the time that the case's suspect was likely to face as many as 30 to 40 animal cruelty charges.
For now, Sabrina's recovery continues under the care arranged by the Weehawken Mayor's Office employee and the rescue groups who stepped in. Her case, first reported by DailyVoice.com, has drawn renewed attention to how Hudson County towns respond when a severely neglected animal is found abandoned on their streets.
