(WNY News Now) – PORTLAND, N.Y. — A Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office investigator charged a Dunkirk man with animal cruelty following a traffic stop on Route 5 in the Town of Portland on Sunday evening.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, on August 31, 2025, around 7:42 p.m., an investigator observed a westbound pickup truck towing a utility trailer with a metal loading ramp. A German Shepherd was standing in the trailer with a rope tied tightly around its neck and secured to the top of the gate, leaving the animal unable to sit or lie down.
Deputies reported that the restraint created a risk of serious injury if the vehicle made sudden movements. The driver, identified as 66-year-old Jorge L. Jimenez of Dunkirk, was charged with carrying an animal in a cruel manner, a misdemeanor under New York State Agriculture and Markets Law.
Jimenez was issued an appearance ticket for the Town of Portland Court. The investigation was assisted by the Dunkirk Police Department and New York State Parks Police. As are all persons accused of a crime, the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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