Hamburg Man Pleads Guilty for Shooting His Dog >>
ERIE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY MICHAEL J. KEANE
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: October 9, 2026
HAMBURG MAN PLEADS GUILTY FOR SHOOTING HIS DOG
Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that Dennis J. Rutkowski, 62, of Hamburg, pleaded guilty this morning before State Supreme Court Justice Debra Givens to one count of Attempted Aggravated Cruelty to Animals (Class A misdemeanor under New York State Agriculture and Markets Law) and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree (Class A misdemeanor).
On Sunday, June 28, 2026, at approximately 9:35 a.m., Town of Hamburg Police officers responded to residence on West Canyon Drive to conduct a welfare check. While outside of the defendant’s residence, the officers saw an injured dog in the backyard.
The defendant attempted to cause serious physical injury to his companion animal by shooting the dog in the head with a rifle. The weapon was seized and the defendant was placed under arrest. The injured dog, an approximately 7-year-old male German Shepard named “Sky,” was taken to the Orchard Park Veterinary Hospital to be treated for a single gunshot wound to its face. The dog was placed in the custody of the SPCA Serving Erie County. “Sky,” who has since been adopted by a new owner, continues to recover from the injury.
Rutkowski faces a maximum of 364 days in jail when he is sentenced on Tuesday, December 8, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. He remains released under the supervision of the Probation Department. At his arraignment in Hamburg Town Court, Judge Carl Morgan imposed a temporary securing order that prohibits the defendant from owning, harboring, or having custody or control of any animals while the case is pending prosecution.
DA Keane commends Lieutenant Scott Weyrough, Detective Nicholas Borowski, Officer John Bluman, Officer William Blette and Officer Ryan Dreyer of the Town of Hamburg Police Department for their work in this investigation as well as Chief Officer Lindsey Wood and the staff at the SPCA Serving Erie County.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Megan E. Mahoney of the Animal Cruelty Unit.
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READ THE NEWS RELEASE ON THE ERIE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE HERE >>
NERVOUS/TERRITORIAL PETS: 
CURIOUS PETS:
For the SPCA Serving Erie County, Sandy was so much more than a radio personality. He was a friend, an advocate, a champion—and, in countless cases, a voice for our animals.
Animals were a priority for him. Cats—especially his beloved Bengals and other kitties—held a particularly special place in his heart. But his compassion extended to every animal. Sandy gave the SPCA a regular weekly time slot on his long-running show to feature an animal looking for a home. Over the course of more than three decades, that simple act of kindness helped lead to hundreds, 
if not thousands, of adoptions. Listeners heard an animal’s story, fell in love, and opened their homes. Sandy helped make those miraculous connections happen.
But his legacy is anything but quiet.
* ENSURE ALL ANIMALS ARE WEARING CURRENT IDENTIFICATION! Even if the animal has microchip identification, place a collar with an ID tag on your pet. If a neighbor or passer-by finds your animal, an ID collar that includes your phone number can lead to a faster reunion. Remember, don’t limit a search for a lost pet to your geographical location! A frightened animal that bolts can travel long distances, and well-meaning community members trying to help may also transport the animal to an animal control facility or veterinary clinic in a different neighborhood. Find 
On warm days, a vehicle acts like an oven. It holds the heat inside, and that heat becomes very intense even on days that don’t seem too warm. On an 85-degree day, 
leave them outside extended periods of time. Ensure appropriate shade and water are always available. Keep close supervision of your pet when outdoors on hot, humid, sunny summer days, and around inground pools. If you see an animal left on a porch or in a yard with no access to shelter or water, or with inadequate shelter or water, the SPCA may be able to intervene in accordance with New York State’s Animal Shelter Law.
Contact the SPCA immediately if the location is within Erie County Monday – Saturday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., at (716) 875-7360, ext. 214.
products purchased from deep discount stores were applied. The SPCA has already received several phone calls this season from people who misapplied flea products to their pets. DO NOT APPLY PRODUCTS MEANT FOR DOGS ON CATS, AND DO NOT APPLY CAT FLEA PRODUCTS TO DOGS, AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS CONCERNING THE VOLUME AND MANNER OF APPLICATION! Read the directions carefully PRIOR to application, not during application. The application of improper flea products, low-quality flea products, or products applied incorrectly, can cause internal damage or death to your pet. Always consult a veterinarian before purchasing and applying flea products.
BUNNIES NEED TO KEEP COOL TOO! Pet rabbits who live indoors with no air conditioning can benefit from an easy cooling technique. Rabbit owners can freeze a filled water bottle. Once the water bottle is frozen, it can be wrapped in a cloth and placed on the rabbit’s cage floor. If the rabbit becomes too warm, she’ll instinctively know to lie next to the bottle. Fans can also be pointed in the general direction of a rabbit cage, and rabbits will raise their ears (their natural cooling system) to catch the breeze and cool off. On hot days, pet owners with rabbits living in outdoor pens will want to ensure their pets are cool enough in outdoor locations; if not, rabbits and pens should come indoors.
They’re a little too temperamental to be considered perfect, in-home, companion cats. Some are even feral. What’s to be done about these categories of cats when agencies like the SPCA Serving Erie County receive them as surrendered animals, or as part of an animal hoarding situation or other type of animal rescue or cruelty case?
ensure proper placement, since not all of the cats will thrive in all of the settings. They also ensure there are enough people who will take full responsibility for the care and feeding of the cats throughout their lifetime.
become even more social and enjoy being present around people for longer periods of time.
to be one of the organizations with which FCF works in its 
and eternally grateful to the team at FCF for dedicating so many of their resources to these special cats with high work ethics.
HUNGRY PETS: Too many holiday treats won’t only pack the pounds on us…they’ll pack them on our pets. Many pets are on standard, limited diets; feeding them large quantities of food they don’t normally receive could cause abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, none of which are welcome during this festive holiday…or at any other time, for that matter. Use discretion. Turkey bones are also dangerous for pets. A brittle, spiky bone could cause irritation of the stomach or intestines, or could lodge in your pet’s esophagus.
POTPOURRI PROBLEMS: Of course we want our homes to smell nice when guests arrive…but be mindful that liquid and other types of potpourri, especially sprinkled into rugs, along with many scented essential candles and oils are toxic to dogs, cats, even birds and other animals.
It is alleged that on or about Wednesday, July 17, 2024, the victim’s Yorkshire terrier, “Benji,” went missing from her residence in Niagara County. Later the same day, the victim allegedly received a phone call from a veterinarian’s office in the City of Tonawanda, notifying her that “Benji” had been found by another individual who brought the dog into their office to be scanned for a microchip. The victim allegedly received a second call, notifying her that “Benji” was no longer at the office after being discharged to the individuals who brought him in.