On August 25, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Agents arrested Matthew Soto, co-owner and daily manager of Bark & Play, a dog-boarding and day-care facility in Brooklyn, NY. Soto has been charged with five counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty for severely neglecting several dogs boarded at the kennel.

The investigation began in late June after ASPCA Agents discovered that the facility was housing dogs in extremely unsanitary conditions. The animals were left unattended in poorly ventilated areas saturated with urine and feces. Two underweight Pit Bull mixes named Tango and Sweets were transported to the ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, where they were treated for severe urine burns as well as other conditions of neglect. Dr. Robert Reisman, ASPCA Medical Coordinator of Animal Abuse Cases, provided emergency veterinary treatment.

Tango and Sweets were just two of several dogs who had been boarded at the kennel by local rescue groups. "Rescue groups would pay the facility to temporarily board dogs until they found homes for them," says Stacy Wolf, the ASPCA’s Vice President of Chief Legal Counsel for Humane Law Enforcement. "However, several dogs had been left there for months."

Soto faces up to two years in jail if convicted. Since the June seizure, Bark & Play has closed its doors to the public.

If you know of an animal whose health is being compromised by neglect or abuse, please report it. Visit our Report Cruelty FAQ to learn how to report cruelty in your neighborhood.

http://www.aspca.org/news/tri-state/08-27-10.html#1