💔 New York Diner Owner Breaks Silence After Dog Found Emaciated — But There’s More to the Story
HUNTINGTON, Long Island — A Long Island diner owner accused of starving his dog is speaking out, insisting he’s no animal abuser after a 6-pound tumor was recently discovered and removed from the dog’s body.
Peter Tsadilas, owner of the Golden Dolphin Diner, was arrested in July 2018 and charged with animal cruelty and failure to provide proper sustenance to his yellow Labrador, Callie. According to the Nassau SPCA, Callie was found underweight, infested with fleas, and suffering from an untreated ear infection.
But Tsadilas says the truth is more complicated — and deeply painful.
“I fed her every day,” he told ABC7’s Kristin Thorne. “But she just kept losing weight. I didn’t know why.”
In late June, Callie escaped from the family’s property in Laurel Hollow and was picked up by animal control and taken to the Town of Oyster Bay Shelter. While medical notes from the shelter reportedly mention a small tumor, Tsadilas and his family claim they were never informed.
Weeks later, after Callie was returned to the family, a relative brought her to the vet for her worsening ear condition. That visit revealed the real horror: a massive 6-pound tumor hidden near her right ovary. It was surgically removed — a tumor over 8 inches wide, which vets now believe was the cause of her rapid weight loss.
Though the tumor may explain her frail appearance, the vet who treated Callie also said that other health issues should have been treated earlier. Tsadilas admits his mistake — but denies any malicious intent.
“I made a mistake. I should’ve taken her in sooner,” he said. “But I am not an animal abuser.”
Since the charges were filed, the diner has suffered. Business dropped 70%, and Tsadilas says the harassment has been relentless: feces thrown at the windows, eggs hurled at staff, threatening calls and online abuse — even barking voicemails left on the business line all night.
His 11-year-old daughter made a heartfelt plea online:
“It was embarrassing to watch my dad get arrested. But I know my dad. I’m 100% sure this is all a misunderstanding. Callie was never starving.”
Tsadilas said the family had recently changed Callie’s diet in an attempt to help her gain weight. He now faces trial beginning October 22, but he refuses to take a plea deal.
“I could’ve walked away with a blemish on my name. But I won’t. Not for me. Not for my daughter. I’m not that man.”
The Nassau County DA’s office is moving forward with the case, but declined comment.
As Callie continues to recover under family care, one thing remains clear: in the court of public opinion, judgment comes swiftly — and without all the facts.