A Ronkonkoma man has been arrested for the second time in 30 days on charges of animal cruelty after a group of Kangal Shepherd puppies were rescued from the defendant’s home.
The current investigation started when a Good Samaritan observed an injured puppy lying in a roadway on New Year’s Eve. The puppy appeared to have been recently struck by a car and could not use its legs. The Samaritan wrapped the puppy in a blanket and raced it to Atlantic Coast Veterinary Specialists, an emergency hospital. The puppy was evaluated and found to have severe injuries to its back legs. Meanwhile, the Good Samaritan returned to the area where the puppy was found and started knocking on doors to identify the owner. The house immediately adjacent to where the puppy was found belonged to Munim Raghid. When he was notified that his puppy was hit by a car and brought to the veterinary center, Raghid allegedly went to retrieve it. At this point in time, Raghid, due to another pending prosecution, was under a court order not to possess or have custody or control over any animals.
Raghid allegedly went to the hospital, where he was advised by medical staff that the animal had severe injuries and should not leave. Nonetheless, he allegedly removed the puppy against medical advice that evening, just before midnight.
Upon learning of this event, the District Attorney’s Biological, Environmental, and Animal Safety Team (BEAST) investigators responded to Raghid’s home on New Year’s Day. When they were not allowed access, they returned with a search warrant. During the course of their search, three animals, including the injured puppy, were allegedly recovered. The injured puppy, per the allegations, was not provided with any veterinary care for what was later determined to be a fractured pelvis and leg fractures. These injuries will require the puppy to undergo extensive surgery.
On the new case, Raghid has been charged with one count of animal cruelty, as a class A misdemeanor, for allegedly permitting the puppy to suffer without adequate veterinary care, and four counts of criminal contempt in the second degree, as a class A misdemeanor, for violation of Judge Evan Zuckerman’s court order. He is scheduled to be arraigned on these charges on January 3, 2025.
Raghid surrendered both puppies to law enforcement at the time of seizure. They are both available for adoption through the Town of Brookhaven Animal Shelter. However, the one puppy must first undergo significant rehabilitative surgery for its injuries.
“I created my BEAST investigative team for a reason,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “We will pursue every act of animal cruelty reported to us and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.”
Through the District Attorney’s previously announced working agreement with Fund for Animal Cruelty Treatment of Suffolk, Inc. (FACTS), the organization has pledged to contribute to the veterinary care of the injured puppy. To find out more about how FACTS helps victims of animal cruelty, and how the public can help this puppy, please visit https://factssaves.org/.