Man Arrested for Animal Torture After Dragging 2 Dogs Behind Car Through NYC

On January 6, a New York man was charged with animal cruelty after driving through Long Island City with two dogs tied behind his car. Sixty-eight-year-old Dan Bujor allegedly borrowed his friend’s car and forced his two dogs — named Marzipan and Nougat — to run behind it. A witness captured and posted video footage of the incident before reporting the crime to the New York Police Department (NYPD).

“As alleged, the defendant tied a German Shepherd and a Pit Bull to the back of a car and dragged them down a Long Island City street,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a press statement. “I thank the good Samaritans who came forward to report this cruel act and the NYPD for quickly apprehending the defendant and seizing the animals, which are now under the medical treatment of the ASPCA. We are grateful that the dogs survived and their alleged abuser will now be held accountable in our court system.”

According to the press statement, the dogs were attached by their leashes to the trunk of a red Volkswagen. Nougat, the Pit Bull, briefly became unhooked from the car. Bujor then grabbed both dogs and put them inside the car before fleeing the scene. The unnamed witness contacted the NYPD; later, an officer spotted Bujor with both dogs and confronted him. Bujor was allegedly unable to produce a valid driver’s license. The dogs were confiscated and taken to the ASPCA in Manhattan.

A medical examination revealed that both dogs were suffering from injuries. Marzipan, the two-year-old German Shepherd, was found to have a ruptured eardrum; Nougat, who is estimated to be between two and four years old, was suffering from abrasions to her paw pads, inflamed skin between her toes, and diarrhea. The dogs are now safe and recovering. 

The friend who lent Bujor his car was shocked by the incident. He told Pix11 News that he’d let Bujor borrow the car for a “quick errand.”

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” the friend told Pix11. He referred to the situation as “a lapse of judgment” and added that losing the dogs “is going to kill [Bujor].”

Pix11 reports that according to court documents, Bujor told the police he tied the dogs to the car because he “did not want them pooping inside the car.” 

“The footage of this incident is deeply disturbing and serves as a stark reminder of the persistent issue of animal abuse in New York City,” ASPCA Vice President of Humane Law Enforcement Howard Lawrence said in the District Attorney’s press release. “In the last two weeks alone, the ASPCA has taken in nearly 20 animals from 18 suspected cruelty situations. We are thankful to be able to provide ongoing care for these dogs and other vulnerable animals as they recover, and we extend our sincere gratitude to the Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) Upper East Side, the New York City Police Department, and the Queens District Attorney’s Office for their swift action and invaluable support in this case.”

The dogs remain in the care of the ASPCA and will be available for adoption after the court case is settled and legal ownership is established. Bujor has been charged with overdriving, torturing, and injuring animals; failure to provide sustenance; and driving without a license. If found guilty, he faces up to one year in jail.