Winston Mitchell, 37, of Queens, faces up to a year in jail after being arrested late last week for leaving Apollo tied on a short chain in his backyard, where the two-year-old pit bull mix starved and froze to death in temps at least as cold as 18 degrees, according to authorities.
Almost as infuriating is that as Apollo suffered, Mitchell's neighbors knew what was happening, but did not alert the cops until it was too late. A neighbor's account that s/he "begged" Mitchell to take Apollo indoors counters his sniveling excuse that he forgot the dog was there. Apollo's body was found frozen to the ground behind 32-20 107th Street in East Elmhurst, reports the Daily News.
Said ASPCA Special Agent Joseph Pentangelo, to the Post: "To starve and be frozen to death just inches from shelter is the definition of cruelty."
Meanwhile, the city and its "outdoor" pets are in for another blast of deadly cold.
