Forest Hills Man Who Fatally Tortured Puppy Indicted: DA

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — A Forest Hills man that beat a 10-week-old puppy to death was indicted on animal cruelty charges, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Monday.

Paul Verite, 50, tortured a Boston Terrier puppy multiple times last year, to the point where the dog could not stand or walk and had to be euthanized, prosecutors said.

Verite faces up to two years in prison if convicted, and he is scheduled to come back to court on June 14, Katz said.

He took Espy, the puppy, to Austin Veterinary Care and Blue Pearl Animal Hospital several times in September, October, and November for injuries including a hemorrhage, a torn toenail, and a suspected traumatic brain injury, among others, the district attorney said.

During Espy’s last medical visit, the dog suffered a seizure and failed to respond to treatment. The dog was taken to Blue Pearl Animal Hospital unable to stand or walk, and amid no guarantee that Espy would improve if the veterinarians performed surgery, the puppy was euthanized, prosecutors said.

A necropsy found Espy suffered from multiple force trauma to her ribs, fracturing 21 of the puppy’s 26 ribs, Katz said.

The examination also found that the dog was recovering from prior blunt force injuries, the district attorney said.