Roxbury man faces animal cruelty charge after returning adopted dog with injuries
BOSTON, March 26, 2025 – A Roxbury man who recently adopted a Husky from the Animal Rescue League was arraigned today in Roxbury BMC on an animal cruelty charge after returning the dog with lesions to his neck caused by an embedded, rusted chain collar, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
ARTHUR MAINOR, 58, of Roxbury was charged with one count of animal cruelty by custodian.
Judge David Breen released Mainor on personal recognizance and ordered him to surrender all animals or pets and to not keep any animals or pets while the case is pending.
Mainor is due back in court on May 7 for a pre-trial hearing.
On February 12, the Animal Rescue League Law Enforcement Department received a report from veterinarian staff regarding an almost one-year-old Husky named Lotto. Lotto was returned by his owner, later identified as Mainor, wearing a belt around his neck with a carabineer attached to it. After staff removed the belt, they noticed Lotto’s neck was red and wet with raw lesions.
On February 14, staff from the Neponset Animal Hospital contacted the Animal Rescue League to inquire about Lotto. They said Lotto was recently brought in for a grooming appointment to receive a flea bath when staff observed a rusty chain collar embedded into Lotto’s skin with visible blood, discharge and a bad odor.
The staff offered to sedate Lotto and remove the chain but Mainor declined treatment, including antibiotics and pain medication. Mainor told staff that he would bring Lotto to an emergency hospital or return him to the Animal Rescue League. Neponset Animal Hospital staff began calling surrounding vet hospitals because they never received a referral call for Lotto’s records.
On February 19, officers from the Animal Rescue League and Boston Animal Control met with Mainor who told them he adopted Lotto on January 30. He told officers Lotto would chew through his collars and leashes so he switched to a metal chain.
Officers asked Mainor how the metal chain was removed since Lotto was returned without it. Mainor said he removed the embedded metal chain from Lotto’s neck himself before returning him because he could not afford the costs to have the hospital do it.
Officers also observed rusted metal bowls, one of which still had dog food inside, and a rusted gate and tools in the area Mainor used to keep Lotto.
Mainor was summonsed to appear in court for arraignment.
Lotto is currently at the Animal Rescue League shelter in Boston.
“Sometimes we see intentional injuries to pets and sometimes we see injuries caused by negligence, but any way that a pet is harmed is tragic and comes with consequences. If people get overwhelmed with pet ownership or find themselves simply incapable of caring for a pet, the best thing to do is contact a shelter before any pain or suffering occurs,” Hayden said.
In January 2024 Hayden created the Suffolk County Animal Cruelty Task Force, a multi-agency initiative aimed at reducing abuse of animals and coordinating efforts to bring abusers to justice. Members include the police and animal control departments in Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop, the Massachusetts State Police, the Massachusetts Environmental Police, the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture, the Animal Rescue League and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Those reporting animal abuse should call the ARL hotline at (617) 426-9170 x110 or email cruelty@arlboston.org or the MSPCA hotline at (617) 522-6008 or (800) 628-5808.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications