Seen In Video Kicking Dog, Man, 68, Charged With Animal Cruelty: EHPD

EAST HAVEN, CT — A 68-year-old East Haven man has been charged by cops with animal cruelty after a video posted by the town's animal control officer appears to show him yelling at, striking and then kicking his leashed dog. Police said the video, captured on May 27, was followed the next day, May 28, with a call from a citizen who said he witnessed the man, later identified as Salvatore Follo, kicking the dog while walking on Dodge Avenue.

According to East Haven police spokesperson, Capt. Joseph M. Murgo, on Memorial Day at around 10 a.m., East Haven Animal Control Officer Emily Higgins was contacted by a "concerned citizen" who said she witnessed a man around 60 to 70 years old "kicking and hitting his dog while walking on Dodge Avenue."

The woman provided Higgins with a video she'd taken of the incident. Murgo said Follo was identified as the man in the video. Described by police as a "Cane Corso/Mastiff type dog," the video depicts Follo using "what appears to be the dog’s leash" to strike the dog. He is then seen kicking the dog, resulting in the dog falling on the ground, Murgo said.

On Tuesday, another concerned citizen contacted Higgins. He said he was "driving down Dodge Avenue and saw the man from the viral video," Murgo said, and after seeing the dog being kicked, "followed him home to the address on Kenny Court."

"After reviewing photos and videos of Follo from the earlier incident, it was determined that he was the same individual seen hitting and kicking the dog," Murgo said.

East Haven police officers and Higgins went to Follo's address and were told by the man that he was just “playing” with the dog during the incident captured on the first initial video.

"The canine, a mastiff named Enzo, was removed from Mr. Follo's custody under prevention of animal cruelty and taken to Central Animal Hospital for evaluation and boarding," Murgo said.
Follo was issued a misdemeanor summons for two counts of Animal Cruelty and one count of failure to license, Murgo said.

"We would like to thank the residents of East Haven who assisted with identifying Mr. Follo who leveraged the power of social media to help solve this case quickly," Murgo said.

Follo is scheduled to appear in court June 6.

As he was "issued a misdemeanor summons on scene, a mug shot is not available," Murgo said.