Area Elected Officials Call for Suspension of Pet Owner’s License
State Senator Terrence Murphy (R/Yorktown) is calling for the suspension of a Mohegan Lake pet owner’s license following his third arrest for alleged animal cruelty.
In a letter to New York State Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets, Richard Ball, Murphy formally requested that the license of Richard Doyle, 56, of Mahopac, be suspended until legal proceedings surrounding charges in Danbury and Wappingers Falls are completed.
“Three strikes and you’re out,” Murphy remarked. “Animal cruelty in of itself is despicable but to be charged on three separate occasions it is time for New York State to step in and do the right thing. Mr. Doyle’s license should be suspended until the courts rule on all of the charges he is facing, and if found guilty, his license needs to be permanently revoked.”
Since first being charged last year, Doyle, who owns and operates the pet store in Mohegan Lake on Route 6 near CVS, has sold his other two establishments. A few months ago, animal activists picketed outside his Mohegan store, urging passerbys not to frequent his business.
According to a published report, Doyle was charged last week with animal cruelty and practicing veterinarian medicine without a license after maliciously causing wounds to a St. Bernard puppy t Danbury.
“New York State needs a zero tolerance policy when it comes to animal abuse,” Murphy said. “I have introduced and supported a number of measures to strengthen our laws and protect our animals that are unable to protect themselves.”
Yorktown councilmen Tom Diana and Ed Lachterman echoed Murphy’s call to for the state to take action against Doyle, as did Westchester County Legislator John Testa (R/Peekskill) and Shannon Laukhuf, executive director of the Westchester SPCA.
“I have raised guide dogs, participated in puppy socialization and was a K9 trainer during my years as a local police officer,” Diana said. “If the courts determine that Mr. Doyle has abused the animals in his care then he must answer for it.”
“If Mr. Doyle is proven to be responsible for multiple acts of animal cruelty then he should be out of business,” Laukhuf said.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/