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Woman Threw Puppy Out of Car Window, Prosecutors Say

By Nicholas Rizzi | September 18, 2014 11:37am
 The owner of the 3-month-old Maltese Shih Tzu was arrested and charged with animal cruelty after police say she put the dog in a plastic bag and threw it out her car window near the Bay Terrace train station, prosecutors said.
The owner of the 3-month-old Maltese Shih Tzu was arrested and charged with animal cruelty after police say she put the dog in a plastic bag and threw it out her car window near the Bay Terrace train station, prosecutors said.
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Facebook/S.N.A.R.R Animal Rescue Northeast

BAY TERRACE — A woman accused of stuffing her puppy in a plastic bag and throwing it out of her car near a Staten Island train station said she couldn't afford the dog's medical bills, prosecutors said.

Alsu Ivanchenko, 34, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with placing her 3-month-old Maltese Shih Tzu, named Snowflake, inside a bag and throwing it near the Bay Terrace station at the corner of Hopkins and South Railroad avenues, court papers read.

Ivanchenko told police she had bought a second dog for her daughter before throwing Snowflake away on Friday night, according to court papers.

"It costs too much to get treated. I couldn't afford it," Ivanchenko told police about Snowflake's medical care. "So that's why I put it in the bag and I put it on the side of the road. I was afraid for my daughter to get upset, so I got her a new dog."

Snowflake was found by two people on Friday between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. and taken to an animal hospital.

Dr. Robert Reisman, from the ASPCA, examined Snowflake and found she had a fractured skull, a fractured femur and brain trauma resulting from blunt force impact, court papers read.

When she was arrested on Tuesday, Ivanchenko asked police to give her a slap on the wrist and let her leave.

"Just give me my misdemeanor so I can get out of here," Ivanchenko told police, according to court documents.

"It's just a dog. I opened the door and threw it out."

Snowflake, who was renamed Charlotte by rescuers, has been in intensive care since she was found. Rescue group S.N.A.R.R Northeast has posted constant updates on her health on its Facebook page. According to the page, the puppy is still in critical condition, but has shown improvements.

During her Wednesday arraignment, Ivanchenko was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, torturing and injuring animals and abandonment of animals. Her bail was set at $3,500 and she's due back in court on Monday, according to the district attorney's office.