All charges of animal cruelty against an Ilion man were dismissed Tuesday after a judge determined there was no evidence that he broke his dog’s leg in an incident last month.
Cory R. Sweet, 32, of Second Ave., faced a felony aggravated animal cruelty charge after an animal control officer and Ilion police arrested him in connection to a complaint filed June 9 by a local mail carrier.
The judge dropped the charges because a veterinarian established that the dog did have an injured leg, but that the injury occurred weeks before the alleged incident, said Sweet’s attorney, Les Lewis.
Animal Control Officer Kim Elthorp had said that she seized the dog from Sweet because she suspected him of breaking its leg in the June 8 incident.
She also said he allegedly threw the dog into the apartment.
But an eyewitness statement that prompted the investigation says that Sweet walked the dog into the apartment.
Wright testified that he noticed Sweet dragging Jax and holding him down on his back. Sweet then picked the dog up by the back of its neck, held him in the air and walked him into the house angrily, according to the statement.
The dog also appeared to have an injured leg, according to Wright’s statement.
Sweet said the dog, Jax, injured its own leg while running across a wooden bridge several weeks ago.
Elthorp declined to comment Tuesday on the case.
The charges brought against him by law enforcement officials led to threats, problems at work and difficulties for family members, Sweet said.
“Not one person said I threw the dog,” he added, referring to information provided to local media as “faulty.”
Sweet said he planned to pick up Jax Tuesday from the Herkimer County Humane Society.
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All charges of animal cruelty against an Ilion man were dismissed Tuesday after a judge determined there was no evidence that he broke his dog’s leg in an incident last month.
Cory R. Sweet, 32, of Second Ave., faced a felony aggravated animal cruelty charge after an animal control officer and Ilion police arrested him in connection to a complaint filed June 9 by a local mail carrier.
The judge dropped the charges because a veterinarian established that the dog did have an injured leg, but that the injury occurred weeks before the alleged incident, said Sweet’s attorney, Les Lewis.
Animal Control Officer Kim Elthorp had said that she seized the dog from Sweet because she suspected him of breaking its leg in the June 8 incident.
She also said he allegedly threw the dog into the apartment.
But an eyewitness statement that prompted the investigation says that Sweet walked the dog into the apartment.
Wright testified that he noticed Sweet dragging Jax and holding him down on his back. Sweet then picked the dog up by the back of its neck, held him in the air and walked him into the house angrily, according to the statement.
The dog also appeared to have an injured leg, according to Wright’s statement.
Sweet said the dog, Jax, injured its own leg while running across a wooden bridge several weeks ago.
Elthorp declined to comment Tuesday on the case.
The charges brought against him by law enforcement officials led to threats, problems at work and difficulties for family members, Sweet said.
“Not one person said I threw the dog,” he added, referring to information provided to local media as “faulty.”
Sweet said he planned to pick up Jax Tuesday from the Herkimer County Humane Society.
