A Central Islip man is facing animal cruelty charges for allegedly starving a pit bull and keeping her in a dark basement.

The Suffolk SPCA says the female dog, named Nila, was emaciated and had untreated, open sores.

She was living in a metal crate filled with feces and urine that was kept in a basement apartment, the SPCA says. She had been left alone there for nearly a week.

Dashawn Beicher, 25, of Central Islip, is charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty.

"There is no excuse for this," says Suffolk SPCA Chief Roy Gross. "There's this poor, innocent animal being left in the dark like that, living in filth without food or water."

A woman who lives upstairs from the basement apartment from where Nila was kept tells News 12 that she contacted police.

"I heard all the barking and the barking and the barking," says Maritza Canario. "I told them what's going on, so I had to call the police."

Canario adds, "When they told me the condition that the dog was in, I was horrified."

Nila is now recovering at the Islip Animal Shelter. Officials say she will be put up for adoption after she has recovered -- possibly as early as Wednesday.

Beicher is due in court in October. He faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted.