Men Keeping Animals For Santeria Sacrifice Charged With Animal Cruelty

In Greenburgh, New York, a father and son have been charged with animal cruelty under New York's Agriculture and Markets Law after police discovered over 100 animals intended for sacrifice in Santeria religious rituals on their property. Yesterday's Lower Hudson Journal-News reports that the animals included goats, rams, chickens, pigeons, doves, ducks, quail and turtles. The charges do not stem from the planned sacrifices, but rather from the fact that a goat and a pigeon died from apparent malnutrition. The father was also charged with violating a town ordinance against keeping farm animals in residential neighborhoods. Charges of transporting the animals from a farm in New Jersey without proper documents could also be filed.