Retired NYPD Lieutenant Faces Charges In Hudson Valley Dog Death

A crowd of angry residents gathered outside a Hudson Valley courtroom demanding justice after a retired police officer allegedly shot and killed a beloved local dog.

James J. Molloy is a 61-year-old retired New York City Police Department (NYPD) lieutenant who was recently arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty and reckless endangerment following the fatal shooting of a dog in Yorktown Heights, New York.

Dog Shooting Case Draws Crowd In Yorktown

Molloy faced a hostile crowd outside Yorktown Justice Court on Tuesday following charges of aggravated cruelty to animals and reckless endangerment.

The incident happened on August 5 and continues to spark widespread outrage and community protests.

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Police say a 12-year-old shepherd-husky mix named Luke broke off his leash along busy Route 118 in Yorktown Heights.

Luke belonged to Matt Steele, a well-known local resident who's currently homeless. Residents would often bring Matt and Luke food. One resident said that happened "every day."

Steele told CBS that after Luke got off his lease, Luke and Molloy's dog started "scuffling."

Before Steele could get to his dog, he says that Molloy pulled out a gun and shot Luke, killing him.

Molloy is legally allowed to carry a firearm because he's a retired NYPD officer. He served 24 years with the NYPD, retiring as a lieutenant in 2015.

Molloy is known for doing volunteer work at The Good Dog Foundation, an organization providing animal-assisted therapy.

Following his arrest, Molloy was released on his own recognizance due to New York bail guidelines, and a temporary order of protection was issued on Steele's behalf.

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To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

Gallery Credit: Rachel Cavanaugh

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