Man accused of setting dog on fire in New York City after dragging it down street

The New York City Police Department Animal Cruelty Squad is searching for a man who allegedly set a dog on fire after he dragged it down a street. 

Witnesses reported seeing the man dragging a motionless dog at around 4:45 a.m. Thursday near 128th Street and 116th Avenue in South Ozone Park, Queens, the NYPD said Saturday.

The man allegedly then poured an accelerant on the dog and ignited it, police said.

He fled the scene on foot after the animal was set on fire, according to investigators.

Images show man wanted by police 

Police released pictures of the man they are looking for. They said he is wanted in connection with an arson.

The man was last seen wearing a maroon sweatshirt with a Polo logo in tan lettering across the chest, gray pants and a light brown MCM backpack, officials said. 

Police said the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was notified about the investigation.

The ASPCA said they are working with the NYPD and will perform a necropsy on the dog.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.

“The law needs to deal with these kinds of people”

Residents who live in the neighborhood say the crime is sickening, and they hope the suspect is found.

“I think that’s pretty wild,” one person said. “For someone to have that mentality and to do such a thing is really, really crazy.”

“These people are inhumane. They’re not human,” resident Ganesh Narain said. “To set a dog on fire is ridiculous. The law needs to deal with these kinds of people … It is concerning because if they can do it to a dog, maybe they could do it to a human being too.”