New York Vet Accused of Abusing At Least 6 Hudson Valley Pets

A Hudson Valley veterinarian is accused of punching, kicking, and choking a number of pets.

On Friday, the SPCA Westchester’s Humane Law Enforcement, under the direction of Ernest Lungaro and Elmsford Detectives Paul Rescigno and Robert Caralyus, in a joint investigation and with the assistance of the Westchester District Attorney’s Office, charged a Westchester County vet with multiple counts of animal cruelty.

Westchester Officials Arrest Elmsford Veterinarian for Animal Cruelty

Veterinarian Javier Diaz, DMV, 46, the owner of Main Street Animal Hospital in Elmsford, was charged with six counts of animal cruelty, assault in the third degree, and forgery in the second degree.

The investigation of Main Street Animal Hospital, located at 33 E. Main Street in Elmsford, New York revealed that Dr. Diaz physically abused pets that were brought into the Main Street Animal Hospital on six occasions, officials say.

Below are the alleged accounts of animal cruelty, according to the SPCA Westchester’s Humane Law Enforcement

Warning, the description to follow are graphic:

• Diaz, while treating a three-legged senior german shepherd, kicked the dog in the chest and then twisted and pulled the dog’s ear that was being treated for an ear infection so hard that the dog screamed incessantly. He then kicked the dog a second time in its jaw causing the dog to jerk its head backwards striking a veterinary assistant that was holding the dog in place. The veterinary assistant suffered a bloody nose and suffered unjustifiable physical pain to her head and neck.

• A two-month-old kitten (pictured here) was hit on the head with a nail clipper designed to cut dog’s nails and then jammed the nail clipper into the cat’s mouth causing the kitten to suffer unjustifiably and to sustain a laceration to its gum and palate.

• A shiba inu was punched in the ribs. A labrador retriever had his front paw twisted and a nail clipper jabbed in his ribs causing the dog to cry out in pain. The dog was then kicked in the ribs. A chihuahua was in a crate crying when Diaz punched the dog to make it stop crying. A shih tzu was choked causing the dog to almost lose consciousness which caused the dog to suffer unjustifiable pain and suffering.

Officials allege Dr. Diaz may have harmed more animals.

"If you suspect your pet was harmed in Diaz’s care, please call the SPCA’s 24-hour animal cruelty hotline at (914) 941-7797," the SPCA Westchester wrote in a press release.