EAST HAVEN, Conn — An East Haven man is facing animal cruelty charges after he was allegedly caught on camera kicking his dog while on a walk.
A concerned citizen called Animal Control Monday morning to report seeing a man kicking his dog while walking on Dodge Ave. The person also provided a video of the incident to animal control, police said.
Police identified the man in the video as Salvatore Follo, 68. In the video, later posted to the East Haven Animal Shelter's Facebook page, a man is seen kicking a leashed dog to the ground.
The neighbor who recorded the video spoke anonymously with FOX61. She said, "I’ve owned dogs and that was not a vicious jump towards the owner. I know he wanted to play, so the fact that he kicked him for that...like animals are so helpless.”
Tips from residents came in after posting the video, including one that said they saw Follo on Dodge Street kicking his dog while walking on Tuesday, according to police.
When Animal Control talked to Follo at his home, Follo reportedly told police that he was "playing" with his dog, Enzo.
The woman who sent the video said what she saw did not look like playing. “I had the phone for proof and it’s probably the third or fourth time I’ve seen it, so, it’s repetitive and just, enough is enough," she said.
The woman said she hadn't reported it in the past because she was either with her child or did not have the means to prove it.
“If he’s acting like that with his dog on a walk in broad daylight, somebody’s gotta know him, something else is happening behind closed doors," she said.
Follo was issued a misdemeanor for two counts of animal cruelty and one count of failure to license. Enzo was removed from the home and taken to Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine in North Haven for evaluation and boarding.
One of the East Haven Animal Control Officers involved in the case, Owen Little, said Enzo has no visible bruises or broken bones, but is being monitored at the hospital for other medical conditions and to make sure they didn't miss anything in the initial evaluation.
As the case plays out in court, Enzo will be under the watch of animal control officers.
Officer Little said he's seeing more and more cases of animal abuse, after three decades in the industry.
"Our court system is overwhelmed. And so, we’ve said it for years. We wish we had a courtroom that just dealt with animal cruelty and animal investigation," Little said. “I think the laws are there I just think sometimes, and I’m not judging, the penalties were imposed.”
Little said in this case, everyone in the town worked together to bring Enzo to safety.
"This would have never happened if that person didn’t step up and say, ‘I’m gunna go put myself out there,'" Little said.
Follo is scheduled to appear in court on June 6.
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