By WALT GOGOLYA, Press Staff

MIDDLETOWN - A 69-year-old city man has been charged with cruelty to animals for ignoring his dog's deteriorating health, police said.

The latest case adds to a seemingly large amount of animal cruelty cases in recent months.

Joseph Bartolotta, 106 Frisbie St., was arrested after an area veterinarian informed police of a possible cruelty case.

Police say Frisbee neglected his dog by ignoring her illness and refusing toseek veterinary care until the animal was near death, according to the arrest report.

A veterinarian told Frisbee the dog needed to be hospitalized and without extensive care would die, according to the report. He declined further medical care, police said.

Frisbee was issued a misdemeanor summons for cruelty to animals. He appeared in Middletown Superior Court on Friday and had his case continued one month.

The arrest comes after a string of recent cruelty to animal cases.

On July 6,  Nathan Mosimann, of Torrington, was arrested at his home on two counts of animal cruelty. It was reported that eight months prior to the police receiving the abuse reports, Mosimann had been home alone with his dog and a pot of boiling water had been "accidentally" dropped on the animal. The dog was taken to the vet and it was found to have severe burns over 45 percent of its body.

The vet that performed the examination said the burn injuries were not consistent with Mosimann's claims that the water had been "accidentally" dropped on the dog.

Mosimann's other dog suffered a similar act of abuse. Police report that they received information that the dog was lying on the floor, unable to get up and bleeding from the mouth after having been alone with Mosimann. The dog was brought to a vet and treated for an ear infection. No x-rays were done due to the cost involved. The animal died later that same day at Mosimann's home.

An autopsy revealed that the dog had died from a fractured skull and fractured neck, injuries not consistent with Mosimann's claims that she had been hit by a car.

On July 1, police responded to the West Haven home of Robert Barnes, 25, after neighbors reported hearing a dog yelping. At one point, bangs, which witnesses believe was the dog being thrown against a wall or the floor, were loud enough to shake a neighbor’s kitchen windows.

Police found the dog limping and cowering. He was taken to the veterinary hospital, where he was treated for shoulder and leg injuries, as well as older injuries including scarring and infection, police said.

On April 1, Victor Serrano, 23, of 1222 Town Colony Drive, allegedly back-handed his girlfriend’s 2-year-old Chihuahua, killing the animal. When police arrived on the scene, they found a dead Chihuahua wrapped in a blue blanket. Photographs were taken of the dog as evidence, according to the report.

Serrano told police the dog had been barking non-stop while inside its cage. He thought letting the animal out would stop the barking. As the dog emerged from the cage, Serrano told police it bit him on the hand, although police saw no visible signs of a bite mark, according to the arrest report.

Serrano was so angered by the bite, he allegedly smacked the dog in the neck area and sent it flying into the apartment wall. The dog landed on its side and its four legs tensed up. The dog began to shake and then died, according to the report.

One case of suspected abuse in Milford remains a mystery. A dog that suffered serious burns was reunited Wednesday with its owner.

The dog’s litter, which also was feared missing, was found with the owner, and all eight puppies are in good condition, animal control officers said.

The city’s animal control office found the dog last Saturday after responding to a complaint of a severely burned animal. They found the 2-year-old Staffordshire terrier, later dubbed “Ginger,” roaming the streets.

The dog was suffering from severe burns on her neck just below her head, shoulders and front paws. Additionally, the pups were thought to be missing, and taken too soon from their mother.

But Wednesday, officials said the owner, who does not live in Milford, and the injured dog were reunited, and the “dog was very good with her.” Police said the dog’s owner is not a suspect in the injuries.

The state of Connecticut punishes people convicted of animal cruelty under Connecticut General Statues 53-247. Convicted animal abusers can face having to pay $1,000 to $10,000 maximum in fines and may be sentenced to imprisonment for up to 10 years.

A study released by the Connecticut Judicial Department in 2008 reported that 1,369 cases were brought to court between 2004 and 2008 under the statute.

According to the CJD, 182 of the defendants in the noted cases were found guilty, one was found not guilty, 367 were dismissed and 819 cases were dropped after prosecutors decided not to prosecute.

Walt Gogolya can be reached by e-mail at wgogolya@middletownpress.com.

http://www.middletownpress.com/articles/2010/07/17/news/doc4c40f832...