Couple Accused Of Leaving 2 Dogs To Roast To Death On Long Island

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Jersey City couple stood accused Thursday night of leaving two dogs to die of heat exposure on Long Island.

As WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported, prosecutors said the two dogs roasted to death.

Authorities alleged that Diana Rodriguez and Steven Rivera put the two pit bulls in one crate with no food or water and put the crate into the back of a U-Haul truck.

They drove from Jersey City to Port Washington, where they left the animals not at, but near, the North Shore Animal League, prosecutors said.

By the time the dogs were found approximately one hour later, they were dead.

Nassau County Assistant District Attorney Jed Painter of the Animal Crimes Unit said the temperature on July 31 when the alleged crime occurred was 88 degrees.

"Imagine being trapped in a cage with another very hot body," Painter said.

The couple was planning on moving to Florida, and did not want to care for the dogs any longer, Painter said. He said they should have contacted an animal shelter and turned in the dogs properly.