Newborn puppies 'abandoned' in shoebox on Thanksgiving die. New York Mills man charged

A New York Mills man was arrested Monday after falsely reporting to the New York Mills police that two puppies had been abandoned at his home early Thanksgiving, village police reported Wednesday.

Police said 37-year-old Emmanuel Lilly was caring for a pit bull belonging to his ex-girlfriend, who lived in Madison County. The dog gave birth to three puppies, and Lilley took the puppies home with him, after which he decided he could no longer care for them, police said. One of the puppies died in his care, and he called 911 in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving, stating the two dogs were abandoned on his porch.

Newborn puppies rely on their mother for basic needs like feeding and keeping warm during their first few weeks, according to the American Kennel Club. Police attempted to find an agency to care for the puppies overnight, and got in contact over Facebook with Rome resident Ashley Wright.

New York Mills police had located and were planning to reunite the puppies with their mother, but the two puppies died in Wright's care before then, police said.

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Lilley was arrested by New York Mills police with the Central New York SPCA and charged with falsely reporting an incident and animal cruelty, police said. Police have not yet returned a call for clarification on the degree of the charges, which could determine whether the charge of false reporting is a felony or a misdemeanor. Aggravated animal cruelty is a felony under New York State law.

H. Rose Schneider is the public safety reporter for the Observer-Dispatch. Email Rose at hschneider@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Puppies left in shoebox on Thanksgiving die New York Mills man charged

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