The two dogs, whom Ruff House shelter nicknamed "Matt" and "Maddi".
The owner of an Oceanside animal rescue shelter was arrested after she took in two stray dogs and then lied to their owner, saying the dogs had run away, Nassau County police said.
Diane Indelicato, 46, who owns Ruff House animal Shelter on Long Beach Road, has been charged with criminal possession of stolen property, a felony. She is scheduled to appear in First District Court in Hempstead on Oct.6.
Police said the two dogs—a 4-year-old shih tzu and a 3-year-old maltipoo—were found Sept. 17 on Grand Boulevard in Baldwin and brought to the shelter by a good Samaritin. The man, who has not been identified, suspected the dogs had been neglected due to severe matting in their fur and notified police of the stray dogs, police said.
The dogs were reported missing to the police by the owner, a Baldwin resident who was not identified, at approximately 8 a.m. on Sept. 18. Police put the owner in touch with the man who had found the dogs, who told the owner he had handed the over to the shelter.
Both the owner of the dogs and the man who found the dogs contacted Indelicato at Ruff House shelter, who told them the dogs had escaped, police said. The stepfather of the owner of the dogs visited Ruff House on Monday to confront Indelicato, who denied having the dogs and made the man leave the premises.
According to police, Indelicato put the dogs on the shelter’s Facebook page, advertising them for adoption. The dogs were located in Lakeland, New Jersey, where they had been adopted by a family. The adoptive family and the owners are currently working out an arrangement to return the dogs, police said.
Nassau County police Detective Anthony Repalone said the shelter had no previous complaints on record and appeared to be a legitimate shelter. “Her heart may have been in the right place, but she went about it illegally,” said Repalone, adding, “[Diane Indelicato’s] intent was not monetary.”
Repalone said police have not seen the dogs and are unsure if they were abused or neglected, but as a precaution, the Nassau County SPCA will investigate the case once the dogs are returned to the owners. “If there is neglect or abuse involved, [the owner] will be punished accordingly,” said Repalone.
