A Kingston man is facing animal cruelty charges.
The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office says that at approximately 1 p.m. Wednesday Kingston Police responded to an apartment complex located at 1 Kingston Collection Way after a 911 caller reported hearing shuffling, crying, a dog whining and yelling and then sudden silence in a neighboring apartment.
Officers arrived on scene and found a deceased dog in the apartment, who was identified as a 60-pound Bull-Terrier mix named Brutus.
An investigation determined that the dog’s owner, 44-year-old Jonathan Paluzzi obtained fentanyl and allegedly attempted to poison Brutus with it.
The District Attorney says that when that proved unsuccessful he stabbed Brutus to death before leaving the apartment.
Officers were still there when Paluzzi returned and he was placed under arrest.
Items taken from the scene included a set of bent grill prongs and a cigarette pack containing an off-white powdery residue that was suspected fentanyl.
Paluzzi pleaded not guilty to two counts of Animal Cruelty, and one count of Possession of a Class A Substance, Fentanyl.
It was also ordered that Paluzzi undergo a 20-day evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital.
He is next scheduled to appear in court on February 16.
