Cyheam Forney

Dog ‘near death’ after left in Summer heat

Central Islip, NY

July 19, 2006

On July 19th, the Suffolk County SPCA responded to an anonymous tip that reported a dog located at 17 Linda Lane in Central Islip, was suffering from heat stroke.  When officers arrived, the dog was very near death.  A Pit Bull was found in an enclosure at the Central Islip home of Cyheam Forney.  The dog was found on a leash that was hung on a fence that did not allow it to reach the shade.  The pen did not have a doghouse or a full water bowl.

   (Photo courtesy of The Suffolk County SPCA)

The dog was treated at the scene and then transported to the Islip Animal Hospital. Forney was not present at the time, and under normal circumstances, a warrant would be needed to have been secured before removing an animal from its owner’s property.  Under such severe conditions, the animal would have died, so the officers took the dog without a warrant.

Even after being given cold water and transported in a cool vehicle, the dog’s internal body was measured at 106 degrees when it arrived at the animal hospital.  The SPCA believes that the dog will recover but had it been much longer, the dog would have died.  The animal is being held at the Islip Animal Shelter.

Forney was later arrested and charged with a misdemeanor for violating a section of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law which includes ‘failure to provide food, water or shelter, overdriving, and torture, and causing his dog to sustain heat stroke’.  This penalty could result in a one-year sentence in prison and/or a $1,000 fine.  More serious charges could not be filed because it could not be proven that Forney had tied the dog to the fence – the dog may have accidentally hung his leash on the fence.

Forney is scheduled to appear in First District Court in Central Islip in September. At that time it will be determined if the Pit Bull will return to his possession or will be put up for adoption.

 
Reference:

Suffolk Life Newspapers