Holyoke Man Charged With 17 Counts Of Animal Cruelty

HOLYOKE (CBS) - A 49-year-old Holyoke man is facing numerous animal cruelty charges after police found a dead dog along with 16 other dogs in his Newton Street apartment.

Julio Rivera of Holyoke is charged with 17 counts of animal cruelty - one count for each of the dogs discovered in his apartment on Thursday, police said.

Detectives from the Holyoke Police Criminal Investigations Bureau arrested Rivera.

The remaining 16 dogs are now being cared for by staff at a Springfield shelter, said Pam Peebles of the Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center.

"Today they're doing remarkably well. There's three (dogs) that we still consider (to be) in guarded condition, but they'll be getting some blood work. Most of them were anemic from fleas and the level of dehydration was pretty bad," Peebles said.

Rivera is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in Holyoke District Court.