Story by Ethan
On June 2nd, 2025, the arrest of Issac Yadgarov, age 37, was announced by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. Issac Yadgarov was charged with Overdriving, Torturing Animals, 48 counts of Overloading, and 48 counts of Failure to Provide Adequate Food, Water, and Shelter. The arrest and charges against Issac Yadgarov were a result of an investigation handled by the Queens District Attorney’s Office and NYPD Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad.
According to the Queens District Attorney’s Office, on May 8th, 2025, reports of neglected animals were responded to by ASPCA and Animal Care Centers of NYC members on the seventh floor of a Forest Hills, New York, building on 62nd Road. Individuals investigating the apartment saw 48 Belgian Malinois dogs in the apartment alongside urine, feces, and debris. The members were not able to move freely in the apartment due to how cramped it was, and there reportedly was a strong scent of ammonia that made it difficult to breathe. The NYPD Emergency Services Unit responded to the apartment to aid in the extraction of all the dogs. Three of the rescued dogs required euthanasia while the remaining 45 were handed over to the ASPCA and Animal Care Centers of NYC for medical examination, proper care, and socialization to prepare them for adoption or future foster homes. Issac Yadgarov was not present during the time of the rescue due to previously being evicted a day prior. The defendant had agreed and digitally signed off to surrender the dogs. Following investigation Issac Yadgarov was contacted by the Queens District Attorney’s Office and NYPD Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad before he surrendered himself to a local NYPD precinct.
The Queens District Attorney’s Office stated that the charges against Issac Yadgarov are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
