According to Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol, a Camden…

According to Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol, a Camden man has been arrested for intentionally injuring a dog.

On November 6, 2026, the Oneida County 911 Center received a call indicating that a puppy had been injured by an adult.

Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched and responded to an address on State Route 13 in the Town of Camden and found a 3-week-old Pit Bull puppy that had sustained serious injuries to it’s head. It was suspected that the owner, named Brian McCool, age 46 of Camden, was responsible for causing those injuries. The Camden Animal Control Officer was notified and transported the injured puppy to a local veterinarian for treatment. The deputy left the scene to conduct further investigation.

The veterinarian found that the puppy had sustained two skull fractures. Treatment was provided to the animal, which was listed as guarded but stable condition.

A few hours later, the Oneida County 911 Center received a second call about a second puppy at the same address that may have been injured as well.

The same Sheriff’s Deputy responded to the Route 13 address and while there a male Pit Bull charged the deputy and bit the deputy several times, causing several puncture wounds to the deputy’s leg. McCool was taken into custody at the home by the Deputy who had been bitten.

Other law enforcement was notified and the Camden Police Department, along with other Sheriff’s Deputies and Investigators from the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Unit, responded to the scene.

The injured deputy was transported by Ambulance to Rome Memorial Hospital where the deputy received treatment and later released.

While other Sheriff’s personnel were on scene, a separate female Pit Bull dog managed to break free from inside a camper that was on the property and aggressively charged at law enforcement. The charging Pit Bull was subsequently euthanized by a member of the Sheriff’s Office to stop the threat of severe injury to personnel on scene.

Investigators charged McCool with one count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, an unclassified felony under the Agriculture and Markets Law. After being processed, McCool was released on an appearance ticket returnable to Camden Town Court later this month.

The Pit Bull that bit and injured the deputy was seized by the City of Utica Animal Control and the Oneida County Animal Abuse Coordinator and will be quarantined for a period of time.

The second puppy is being evaluated.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Camden Police Department, Camden Ambulance, the City of Utica Animal Control and the Oneida County Animal Abuse Coordinator.