This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.

A New York woman is facing cruelty charges for sealing her dog in a closet and leaving them to die slowly when she moved. Demand maximum sentencing in this case!
 

According to the Utica Police Department, on June 5, officers were sent to a residence in Utica, New York, in response to an animal cruelty complaint after a landlord reported a dead dog in an apartment.

The landlord, who found the dog while there to prepare the apartment for the next tenant, told officers the previous tenant, 30-year-old Anaiya Harris, had left several weeks earlier.

In an act of calculated cruelty, she locked her dog inside a crate, hid them in a closet, and then sealed the door shut with spray foam, deliberately silencing their cries for help. She then moved out, leaving the dog to suffer and die in the dark, alone.

In August, Anaiya Harris was indicted by a grand jury on two separate charges related to the dog found deceased in a sealed closet. She faces one count of aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony under New York law, and one count of torturing and injuring an animal, a misdemeanor.

The felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals applies to actions that intentionally cause extreme physical pain or suffering to an animal, or involve a particularly depraved or sadistic act. If convicted, Harris could face up to two years in prison. The misdemeanor charge of torturing and injuring an animal covers acts that cause harm or injury to an animal through neglect, confinement, or other abusive treatment. This charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

While the two charges may seem to overlap, they are based on different aspects of the same incident. Aggravated cruelty addresses the extreme nature of Harris's actions, intentionally creating conditions that caused severe suffering, whereas torturing and injuring an animal covers the broader harm caused by confining and mistreating the dog. Prosecutors often bring both charges to ensure that the full scope of the abuse is addressed and to reflect the seriousness of the offense.

We do not think the laws are strong enough in this state, so at the very least, she should face the absolute maximum penalties for both charges.

Letter to Decision Maker(s) for reference:

Subject: Maximum Sentencing for Woman Who Sealed Dog in Closet

I am writing to express my support for your office’s prosecution of  Anaiya Harris, who is facing charges of aggravated cruelty to animals and torturing and injuring an animal for sealing her dog in a closet and leaving them to die slowly.
 
This deliberate act of calculated cruelty that caused immeasurable suffering to a dog must not be taken lightly.
 
I urge you to pursue prosecuting this case to the maximum extent of the law, and urge the judge to hand down a maximum sentence for each charge that Harris was indicted for, and ensure she is not allowed around animals in the future.

In August, Anaiya Harris, 30, of Utica, New York, was indicted by a grand jury on two separate charges related to the dog found deceased in a sealed closet. She faces one count of aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony under New York law, and one count of torturing and injuring an animal, a misdemeanor.

The felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals applies to actions that intentionally cause extreme physical pain or suffering to an animal, or involve a particularly depraved or sadistic act. If convicted, Harris could face up to two years in prison. The misdemeanor charge of torturing and injuring an animal covers acts that cause harm or injury to an animal through neglect, confinement, or other abusive treatment. This charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

I do not think the laws are strong enough in New York, so at the very least, she should face the absolute maximum penalties possible for her depraved act.

She is clearly a danger to vulnerable members of society, and must be held accountable for the heartbreaking death she caused, not only to deliver a small measure of justice to the victim, but to send a message that animal cruelty won’t be tolerated by your community.

Thank you for your commitment to upholding justice and for recognizing the seriousness of animal cruelty cases. Your actions today will help prevent future suffering.

Sincerely,

Signed

This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.