HAMBURG, N.Y. — A Hamburg man was indicted in an Erie County Court on Monday morning after being charged with two counts of aggravated animal cruelty, and one count of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals, and failure to provide proper substance.
In January of 2024 Hamburg Police had responded to the apartment of 37-year-old Joshua Taylor (AKA Moriah Taylor) on the 4500 block of Southwestern Boulevard for a welfare check.
The call had been made by the legal occupant of the apartment and a former girlfriend who had not heard from Taylor for multiple hours. The caller had expressed concern for Taylor as well as two adult cats and 3 kittens that were inside the apartment.
After police got consent to search the apartment they had found the two adult cats but not Taylor or the kittens. Soon after police then located Taylor in a nearby parking and the 3 kittens inside a pillow case that was buried in the snow on the balcony of the apartment.
The kittens were taken to the Orchard Park Veterinary Medical Center where 2 were determined to have died from asphyxiation and/or hypothermia. The one kitten who had survived was in critical condition but has since recovered and been adopted.
Taylor was soon after arraigned in Hamburg Town Court and released on charges that were non-qualifying offenses for bail. He will return to court in August for further proceedings and has since been released on his own recognizance.
If convicted Taylor faces a maximum sentence of 2-years in prison.
“These defenseless kittens suffered a slow, torturous death after they were allegedly placed into a bag and buried in the snow on a 20-degree winter day by the defendant. Thankfully, one of these cats survived this cruelty and found a safe, new home. Anyone who abuses an animal in Erie County will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Acting Erie County DA Mike Keane.
