September 14, 2016
Ocean County Prosecutor's Office/for PhillyVoice
Nicholas Piccolino, 33, of Seaside Heights.
An Ocean County, New Jersey man was arrested in connection with the alleged beating death of a 10-year-old dog, county officials announced Wednesday.
Nicholas Piccolino, 33, of Seaside Heights, was charged with third-degree animal abuse after a female Bichon Frise named Booshu was found dead, Ocean County Joseph D. Coronato and New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NJSPCA) President Steve Shatkin said.
The incident occurred Aug. 19 around 9:55 p.m. inside the Seaside Heights home of the dog's owner.
Authorities allege that Piccolino was in the kitchen with the dog. A witness who was upstairs heard several loud banging sounds and the dog yelping.
A short time later, Piccolino notified the dog's owner that something was wrong with the Booshu. After finding the dog dead in the bathroom, Piccolino told the dog's owner that he dropped Booshu while he was cleaning her.
The dog was taken to Red Bank Animal Hospital where she was pronounced upon arrival.
A necropsy revealed that the cause of death was "multiple blunt force injuries to her head and body," according to officials.
Charges were approved on Tuesday and Piccolino was taken into custody. He was sent to Ocean County Jail on $35,000 bail.
