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State police make arrest after animal abandonment investigation

State police say one person is in custody after an animal abandonment investigation.

Paul-Carlos Palenzuela, 58, was arrested by State Police in Herkimer on February 14th for two counts of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide proper sustenance; and one count of animal abandonment.


According to the authorities, Palenzuela is accused of abandoning a 6-year-old Pitbull dog in the parking lot of the Herkimer County Humane Society on February 2nd. The dog was discovered by an employee, who checked the surveillance footage that showed Palenzuela driving up in a dark-colored Mini Cooper Club vehicle.

He proceeded to open the rear door of the vehicle and let a female adult Pitbull exit into the parking lot before leaving the scene.

Palenzuela was issued appearance tickets and is scheduled to appear in the town of German Flatts Court on February 21st. The charges against him include a class “A” misdemeanor for overdriving, torturing, and injuring animals and an unclassified misdemeanor for abandoning an animal.