Deer Park woman faces dog abandonment charges

A Deer Park woman is facing charges for allegedly abandoning her dog on the street.
Prosecutors say in February, Amavilla Araujo tried to turn her Labrador mix in to the Town of Babylon Animal Shelter. She was told the shelter was full, and the dog would have to be put on a waiting list.
Prosecutors say she drove to Nassau County and abandoned Teddy near Terrehans Lane in Syosset.
The dog was found and brought to a hospital, where he had a toe amputated because of an injury.
Animal rights advocate Lucille DeFina says any shelter that refuses an animal is not being run correctly.
"Shelters are collecting in an enormous amount of money, so there's no excuse for it," DeFina told News 12. "If they don't have cage space, then something's wrong. Then it's inadequate. Then the rescue coordinator, the adoption coordinator, these people are not doing their job."
Prosecutors say a tracking chip in Teddy led police back to Araujo. She is due back in court in May.
The 9-year-old dog has since been adopted by the Magnani family in Syosset and "couldn't be happier" in his new home.