Gloversville man charged with dog neglect

This dog was found wandering in Gloversville on June 16.

Gloversville resident Norbert Saxton, 38, was arrested Friday for allegedly neglecting a dog found earlier this month wandering the city with a cancerous tumor that went untreated.

Saxton was charged with cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor. He posted $350 cash bail and appeared in Gloversville City Court on Monday. His next court appearance is July 27.

An 11-year-old male beagle mix named Pongo with a cancerous tumor that went untreated for some time was temporarily in the care of Saxton, of Fifth Avenue, when Gloverville police received a report on June 16 of an injured dog walking in the area of Kingsboro and Prospect avenues.

When police found the dog, Pongo had what appeared to be a large open area on its back near the hips and did not have any identifiable tags. Police later learned the licensed owner was Christina France, 34, of Herkimer.

France could not keep the dog because she was not allowed to have dogs over 40 pounds at her residence, according to police.

A veterinarian from the Sacandaga Veterinary Clinic examined Pongo around June 19 and determined that the tumor could have ruptured 10 days to two weeks prior to the dog being located by police.

Police said the veterinarian concluded that the owner or person in charge of the dog neglected the animal. France on Monday signed over ownership of the dog to the Regional Animal Shelter in Gloversville, where Pongo remains.