NYC man accused of starving dog and her 9 puppies

A New York City man is accused of starving his pet dog and nine of her puppies.

ASPCA special agents have found the 6-year-old pitbull mix and her month-old puppies inside a large cage in the owner's Staten Island apartment.

ASPCA spokesman Joseph Pentangelo describes the animals' condition as "fairly grave."

The owner has been charged with torturing and injuring animals.

The dogs were discovered May 9. The owner's arrest this week was delayed while authorities investigated whether the dogs' conditions were due to neglect or sickness.

___

Information from: Staten Island Advance, http://www.silive.com