STATEN ISLAND — A woman who almost blinded her neighbor's dog by throwing ammonia into its eyes was conditionally discharged and ordered to pay back the ASPCA for vet bills, according to the District Attorney.
Irene Helale, 69, of New Springville, was arrested in June after she threw ammonia at her neighbor's 5-year-old bulldog, Rocky, because she was sick of him constantly barking and jumping on the fence, prosecutors said.
Rocky made a full recovery, which led prosecutors to drop felony charges against Halele, a spokesman for the District Attorney said.
In December, Helale pleaded guilty to injuring the animal and was sentenced by Judge Mario Mattei to a lesser charge of torturing and injuring animals Wednesday.
She was released on a conditional discharge and ordered to pay back the ASPCA. She was also banned from owning a dog in the future.
“We are pleased that justice has been served in this case and hope that the non-possession order against Irene Helale prevents her from bringing harm to any other animals," said Howard Lawrence, senior director of the ASPCA Anti-Cruelty Group.
"The Staten Island District Attorney deserves praise for taking this crime seriously and bringing a satisfactory conclusion for Rocky and his owners.”
On June 15, Helale walked into her backyard and banged pots and pans to lure Rocky, who was swimming in his backyard pool, prosecutors said. When he was close enough, she splashed ammonia in his face, getting it in his eyes.
"I can't imagine why somebody would do this," Rocky's owner, Frank Latino, previously told DNAinfo New York. "He's a loving dog. I'm still beside myself, I just can't believe it."
Latino could not be reached for comment.
Helale said that she never meant to hurt the dog and just poured ammonia on the ground near the fence when Rocky wasn't around to try and stop him from jumping on the fence.
Her lawyer, Paul Capofari, said that Halele built a new fence around her property and hopes that her and her neighbors can put the incident behind them.
"Mrs. Helale has remorse," Capofari said. "She just wants to go back to being good neighbors."
