A 66-year-old man in the United States has been arrested for allegedly decapitating a pet dog that he had adopted from an animal shelter just one day earlier. In a Facebook post, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said that deputies began looking for Domingo Rodriguez on 14 May, after they received reports of a dead dog wrapped in plastic at a park in Florida. Officers were called to the scene where they found the dog without a head floating in a mangrove swamp in the park.
Officials scanned the dog's microchip and identified it as being a 4-year-old bulldog mix. Deputies also discovered the animal had been adopted from Pinellas County Animal Services on May 10 by Domingo Rodriguez. Mr Rodriguez, 66, has now been charged with one count of felony animal cruelty and one count of disposal of bodies of dead animals, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
"Deputies have arrested 66-year-old Domingo Rodriquez and charged him with one count of Animal Cruelty and one count of Disposal of Bodies of Dead Animals after his 4-year-old bulldog mix named Dexter was found deceased at Ft. Desoto Park," the Facebook post read.
According to The Independent, when officials reached the 66-year-old man's home, he initially told authorities that the dog must have run off the night of his adoption. However, he later admitted to being at the park the next day but then offered confusing statements. Mr Rodriguez was arrested after his visit on 15 May and has since been released on bond.
Pinellas County Animal Services said it was "shocked" by the discovery and implored the public to report any instances of animal abuse to the police. "Dogs like Dexter who arrive as strays, many injured and scarred, are the reason animal welfare workers and volunteers get up every morning to do what we do," the agency said in a statement on Facebook.
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"Our jobs are full of wonderful rewards, especially when we receive updates showing our adoption dogs and cats resting easy in loving homes, but an event like this breaks our hearts," the statement continued.
"The screening for Dexter found no issues that would indicate danger to his welfare. We encourage anyone who sees animal abuse happening in Pinellas County to report it by calling our offices at (727) 582-2600 and selecting Option 4," it added.
Mr Rodriguez was booked into the Pinellas County jail following his arrest. An investigation is ongoing.
