NORWICH – The Chenango County Court issued a warrant Monday calling for the arrest of a Greene man accused of torturing several dogs. Douglas A. Hasslett was released after his initial arrest on Sept. 11 pending a psychological evaluation and failed to appear back in court this past Friday. Judge W. Howard Sullivan gave Hasslett another chance to show up Monday and again he did not. Hasslett also missed other scheduled appointments with other governmental agencies.

The Chenango County Sheriff’s Department arrested Hasslett for 10 counts of failure to license a dog, nine counts of cruelty to animals and one count of aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony. One of the dogs was found in the defendant’s freezer, apparently placed there after it had starved to death, said District Attorney Joseph McBride. “This man is charged with cruelty to dogs. I could think of nothing crueler,” said McBride.

Sullivan ordered that Hasslett be psychologically evaluated in September. Hasslett’s attorney, Alan Gordon, said his client was being cooperative up to this point with law enforcement agencies and acknowledged the fact he may need psychological treatment.