MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ – A Manchester man has been charged for animal cruelty after it was witnessed that he had kicked his dog and yanked aggressively on his leash while taking the dog to a groomer in Manchester.
The groomer was not involved in this incident and we will not be publishing the name of the business to protect the company.
“On Wednesday, June 1, 2022, members of the Manchester Township Police Department were dispatched to [a dog groomer] Manchester Township for a report of animal abuse.
“The caller reported that a male identified as Gary Petosa, age 63 of Manchester, had been observed by a witness, kicking his dog, several times prior to dropping him off for a dog grooming appointment,” Manchester police reported. “Video surveillance from several nearby businesses captured Petosa abusing his dog on multiple occasions to include; aggressively yanking on the leash, throwing the dog against the driver’s side of the vehicle, and kicking the dog several times.”
“In an investigation conducted by Manchester Police, Humane Law Enforcement Officer Detective Adam Guker, the allegations were substantiated through the aforementioned video surveillance and witness statements. The dog was examined and confirmed to not have sustained any injuries despite the abuse,” the department said.
As a result of this investigation, Petosa was criminally charged with animal cruelty.