Vestal Man Charged with Animal Cruelty

A Vestal man has been jailed after allegedly shooting a dog in the face, according to Vestal police.  61-year-old Mark Stanton is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony, and discharging a weapon within 1,000 feet of a dwelling, which is a code violation.  Police Officers responded Tuesday afternoon after a delivery person discovered blood and bloody dog prints in the driveway and garage area of an Underwood Road home.  The delivery person talked to a neighbor, who reported hearing gunshots and a yelping dog.  Upon arrival, police found the homeowner’s black Labrador suffering from a gunshot and charged Stanton, a neighbor, in the shooting.  Stanton was remanded to the Broome County Jail pending a bail application to Broome County Court.  The dog is in stable condition at Cornell University Animal Hospital, where staff are cautiously optimistic.