NEWARK — The woman who allegedly abandoned Patrick the pit bull which led to his starvation and near-death has been indicted by a grand jury on one count of fourth-degree cruelty to an animal.
Kisha Curtis, 27, could face up to 18 months in jail if found guilty, acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray said yesterday.
Curtis, of Albany, N.Y., is to be arraigned to hear the fourth-degree charge against her on December 3, Murray said.
After Curtis’ initial court hearing in April, her mother said her daughter left the dog, whose rescuers named Patrick, tethered at the 22-story Garden Spires apartments and went to Albany.
“Anybody would take that dog,” Tammie Curtis said. “If she tied the dog, she didn’t leave the dog to die.”
Patrick weighed just 19 pounds when he was discovered by a maintenance worker who was startled when a trash bag suddenly moved.
Yesterday, the brown-and-white pit bull weighed 51 pounds and was happy and healthy, said Pat Scavelli, the administrator at the Garden State Veterinary Specialists in Tinton Falls.
The plight of the emaciated puppy launched national anti-cruelty movements, protests, prayer vigils, T-shirt sales and hundreds of Facebook fan groups worldwide.
It also triggered attempts to capitalize on the flood of donations as well as a court custody battle between the city of Newark and two veterinary hospitals.
Patrick is now being cared for by a foster family in Monmouth County until the completion of the court case, Scavelli said.
I hope there is justice for Patrick after what he went through!!!
I’ll tether this supposed ‘HUMAN” animal and let her starve to death!!!!! HOW DARE YOU!!! OMG…..YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A PIECE OF GARBAGE!!! ABUSE AN ANIMAL…..ANSWER TO ME!!!!!!
Agreed. 18 months in jail is not enough. Burning in hell for eternity, maybe.
throw her ass in jail forever….
He looks absolutely beautiful and I’m so happy to see him looking so well. As for this piece of trash that did this to Patrick, she deserves the same as what she did to this precious fur baby.
sick evil rotten bitch should get thrown in jail for 10 years
There are so many ppl in this world who just should never be allowed to own an animal. Im glad the courts seem to be taking these sorts of things more seriously and handing down better penalties. However we still need to do more to prevent animals getting into the wrong hands. I believe everyone who breeds and sells animals should be registered and regularly checked on to see that animals are being cared for properly and dogs and cats should have to be registered and cost a reasonable amount of money to buy. Some ppl get animals but cant really afford them and this would help stop that. These ppl who just breed animals, often in terrible conditions, willy nilly and sell them to anyone for what they can get need to be stopped. And ppl who are found to abuse or neglect their pets should be facing harsh penalties if caught.
I agree with you, Trish. Unfortunately, it would be very expensive to employ the amount of people who would be needed to check on all the breeders and sellers. Then there are those who would breed and sell ‘under the table’, so it wouldn’t even be known that they were doing so. If only we humans could evolve to a place where animal cruelty was non-existent. That is my utopian wish.
What I don’t understand is why she got 4th degree charges and not 1st degree?? She is the ePITome of what a picture of gutter-sludge is. Actually she is the underbelly of gutter-sludge. She needs to be tethered to a railing, left without food/water, have people walk by and ignore her and then put her in a garbage bag and thrown down a 22-floor apartment garbage shute. After that she should be tossed in a jail cell and forgotten about. She deserves sooooo much more than what she will get by spending a few months in jail. You know she will get out early instead of doing her full sentence. ARGH she is non-human and inhumane and was more concerned about getting her nails done than feeding a puppy. Sicko.
I think the 4th/1st degree difference is intent, not severity. 1st degree would be premeditated, intentional abuse. 4th degree would be abandonment. I may be completely wrong, but I believe that is how the charges are filed.
I will be glad when this is over, and Patrick can get on with a more “normal” life.
I’d like to see them starve her for awhile until she loses 75% of her weight while she’s in jail….’cause while she’s in jail, she’ll be getting food and shelter….3 hots and a cot! Somehow, that justed doesn’t quite cut it, while Patrick didn’t get anything…..how is that really justice?
Let’s be glad this dog was saved.:) There are many dogs out there that are abused daily and go by unoticed. May this kids sentence be a stepping stone to others who ABUSE animals. She deserves the MAXIUM sentence, I hope she is NEVER NEVER allowed to have a pet ever again. Think long and hard while you are in prision girlie:) (MAY your cell mate be an animal lover) LMAO
Thank god – maybe there will be justice for Patrick. She needs treated like she treated Patrick. MAY she never be able to own a dog or a PET of any kind. We love you Patrick you are a strong boy and you look wonderful.. Thank you foster family for caring or him.
She is a piece of shit put her in a cage with no food or water and no love please don’t let her ever beable to get a dog aging
Tie the shit-for-brains to a tree, paint her with honey and let the bugs have her! 4th degree?! OMG!!! Where is the justice? That charge is a slap on the wrist!!! And her mama is a dumbass, too! Tie them both up and forget them!
How can we post her picture? All the people near her should see her face! I think being known as an abuser to the world will be more of a deterrent than a fine or probation. Post the picture!
I hope this monster gets the toughest punishment and she should be banned from owing animals for the rest of her life.
I LOVE YOU PATRICK….
YOU STOLE MY HEART
LOVE you patrick…….
YOU stole my heart…….
YOU WILL get YOUR justice,mommy make Sure…….
NIce like alwasy very interesting!
This is a cut and dried example of why animal abuse should be a felony. Anyone, who can do this to a poor defenseless animal, will do the same to a human being. It is a proven fact. Ted Bundy,Jeffrey Dahmer, Sam Berkowitz all started out abusing animals.
Much as I agree with the above comments. You do know some folks are just as bad to kids and worse. makes you wonder where they come from.
There is a special hell for inhumans like Curtis…maybe she should not be fed for 18 months in jail, then wrapped in a plastic bag and dumped. Works for me….
Let’s get organized and do whatever we can to make the person who did this life a living hell. (within our legal rights of course.) Who’s with me? I’m being dead serious by the way.