Dog Groomer in Long Island Charged with Swinging Pets and Dropping Them on Floor

A Long Island dog groomer, 21-year-old Andrew Laurendi, was arrested for animal cruelty after police say video captured him abusing the animals in his care. The Nassau County SPCA performed a wellness check at Laurendi’s Massapequa home and arrested him after confiscating abusive video from Pawllywood Dog Day Care and Boarding Center, where he worked as a dog groomer. The video showed Laurendi hanging dogs above his head by the leash, swinging them, and hurling them to the ground. Additionally, he smashed one dog’s face into a fence multiple times and seriously injured another dog’s paw, which had to be taken to an emergency veterinary hospital. Local residents and patrons of the dog care business expressed shock and horror at the abuse. Laurendi did not comment and is due in court on December 21. The SPCA is questioning if background checks should be required for people working with animals. Despite the incident, patrons of the dog care business insisted that their pets were treated with love and described the abuse as isolated. Laurendi no longer works at the dog care business, and corporate management is handling the situation. This arrest has raised concerns about regulations regarding the hiring of individuals who work with animals. The investigation and arrest were made by Nassau Police Seventh Precinct officers and Nassau County SPCA investigators. The concerned public is hopeful that this case will lead to more strict regulations in the hiring process of dog groomers to prevent animal cruelty incidents like this from happening in the future.

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