January 13, 2008

NEW YORK – A Buffalo Animal Control Officer and City Shelter employee has been arraigned on animal cruelty charges in the alleged stabbing of a pit bull last month. It has not been determined whether the incident occurred in self defense.

Norman Filer has been an animal control and shelter employee for 28 years. The 47-year-old found himself in court this month following a bizarre incident during the shelter staff party.

Reports of the Dec. 15th account vary, but somehow Filer stabbed an aggressive pit bull in the neck. Some say he entered the kennel and was trying to quiet the dog when it attacked him – so he defended himself. But that part of the story wasn't made clear by authorities.

SPCA officials involved with this case indicated that the organization maintains a no tolerance policy for animal abuse by shelter employees.

The knife Filer used had a shallow blade and didn't inflict deep wounds. The dog, which was brought to a vet immediately following the incident, is said to have fully recovered just two days later.

Both Filer and shelter manager Kelly McCartney have been suspended – SPCA officials said two anonymous calls were made to their offices the day following the incident. McCartney was reportedly not present the night of the incident.

Allegations that alcohol may have been present during the party couldn't be confirmed. However, alcoholic substances are prohibited from the facility.

The dog had been seized during a drug raid just a month earlier and was known to be aggressive. After the commotion that night, it bit a different shelter employee. The wound was not serious, but one animal control officer said he wouldn't trust the dog alone in a room with another person, let along with a crowd of people.

McCartney and other shelter employees said Filer has an exemplary record, and has not had an issue since began working there in 1980. They said he is compassionate toward the animals.

Filer plead not guilty to the misdemeanor charges and is set to appear in court again on January 29th. We'll have more for you on this case as we get it.

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