AR-News: (CO - US) Man severely beats puppy over period of time

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Silverthorne man charged with felony animal cruelty

 
JANE STEBBINS
April 28, 2004


SILVERTHORNE - A 23-year-old Silverthorne man was charged with cruelty to animals after tips led animal control officers to his puppy, which apparently had been severely beaten.

Officers arrested Nathan Suchecki Tuesday after they received anonymous calls pointing police to his house.

Summit County Animal Control officers and sheriff's deputies said the 5 1/2-month-old puppy, Roscoe, had numerous unexplained bone fractures. The puppy also was significantly underweight for his breed and age.

Deputies took the dog into protective custody April 13. The dog became the property of the Summit County Animal Shelter 10 days later, after Suchecki failed to post its bond; the dog will go up for adoption after its recovery.

That could be awhile, however.

An exam and X-rays taken April 13 showed the puppy had more injuries than first realized, including facial, rib and leg fractures that apparently had occurred over the past few months.

The dog is scheduled for a surgical consultation with an orthopedic specialist in Denver to begin repair of his injuries later this week.

According to lead animal control officer Lesley Craig, the pup is in good spirits despite its injuries. She said he faces a long and involved recovery and has the potential for long-term health issues, included stunted growth.

The first surgery the dog faces is work on his jaw, which was displaced and fractured in several places. Surgeons estimate it will cost $500 to $1,000 to repair its jaw.

"Unfortunately, the bones have begun to heal," Craig said. "He's having trouble eating."

The next surgery will involve X-rays on the dog's left rear leg, which has plates and pins in it due to surgery in January and March.

Craig said it's rare that her officers see cases of physical assault on animals in Summit County - and even more rare that someone is charged with felony charges.

"This is really rare," she said. "We don't see them very often; most cruelty cases involve neglect. But he's doing surprisingly well. He's a really happy puppy."

The animal cruelty charge is a Class 6 felony, punishable by at least one year in jail and $1,000 to $100,000 in fines. Judges have yet to set bond in the incident.

The felony charge is relatively new in Colorado and allows for stiffer penalties in more serious cases of aggravated animal cruelty. Legislators passed it into law in July 2002.

The Summit County Animal Control and Shelter likely will use funds from its Emergency Medical Fund to pay for Roscoe's surgery. For more information about the fund, including how to contribute to it, contact the shelter at (970) 668-3230.



Jane Stebbins can be reached at (970) 668-3998, ext. 228, or jstebbins at summitdaily.com.