DA: Ronkonkoma man Munim Raghid facing new animal cruelty charge after injured puppy found in road
One of the puppies Suffolk prosecutors said was seized from a Ronkonkoma man who is facing animal cruelty and criminal contempt charges in connection with an arrest Thursday. Credit: Suffolk County District Attorney
A Ronkonkoma man was charged with a second case of animal cruelty after prosecutors said he denied medical care to a puppy that was hit by a car outside his home on New Year’s Eve.
Suffolk County District Attorney investigators arrested Munim Raghid, 26, Thursday, and he was charged with one count of animal cruelty and four counts of criminal contempt. He was previously ordered not to have any animals in his possession from a prior animal cruelty charge.
On New Year’s Eve, a good Samaritan found an injured Kangal Shepherd puppy lying in the road outside Raghid’s home in Ronkonkoma, prosecutors said.
The person who found the puppy wrapped it in a blanket and took it to Atlantic Coast Veterinary Specialists in Bohemia. The puppy was found to have severe injuries to its back legs, authorities said.
District attorney officials said the good Samaritan returned to the neighborhood and knocked on Raghid's door to tell him about the dog's situation. Raghid then went to the vet and demanded the puppy back, prosecutors said.
Veterinarians told him the puppy still needed to be treated for severe injuries, but prosecutors said Raghid took it home just before midnight against the emergency clinic’s advice.
Prosecutors had initially charged Raghid on Dec. 5 with neglecting another dog after it was found underfed and emaciated. He was under a court order not to have animals while the case was pending.
After the injured puppy was reported, district attorney investigators with the Biological, Environmental and Animal Safety Team served a search warrant Wednesday at Raghid’s home. Investigators found an adult dog, the injured puppy and another puppy. The injured puppy had a fractured pelvis and broken legs that required extensive surgery, prosecutors said.
Raghid was charged Thursday with one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty and was accused of allowing it to suffer without veterinary care. He also faces contempt charges for allegedly violating the previous court order for keeping the puppies and their mother.
He was scheduled to be arraigned Friday in First District Court in Central Islip. His attorney could not be reached for comment and information about his arraignment was not available Friday afternoon.
"We will pursue every act of animal cruelty reported to us and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law," Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a statement.
The puppy’s treatment is being financed by the nonprofit Funds for Animal Cruelty Treatment of Suffolk Inc. and it will be available for adoption after surgery for its injuries.
Both puppies seized from the home will be available for adoption through the Town of Brookhaven Animal Shelter. The adult dog was not available for adoption.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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