Dog stabbed during domestic dispute
Lake Worth, FL (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Jul 26, 2009
County: Palm Beach
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Michael J. Flowers
A man arguing with his girlfriend stabbed their pet dog in the ribs, authorities say.
Michael J. Flowers, 27, was arrested Sunday afternoon and charged with cruelty to animals.
He left the Palm Beach County Jail Monday afternoon on supervised release, the jail said.
The dog's injuries did not appear life threatening, and the woman took him to her veterinarian, Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control Capt. David Walesky said today.
According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's report, Ginger Whidden, 24, told deputies she was arguing Sunday with Flowers, her boyfriend of four years, at their home in the 3400 block of Kirk Road in suburban Lake Worth.
She said that as Flowers shouted and paced the living room, her 3-1/2-year-old, 80-pound labrador/chow mix Harley remained next to her and growled at him.
The woman said Flowers got a Winchester knife and lunged at Harley, driving the blade 1 inch into the left side of his rib cage.
Flowers later told deputies he was defending himself and Harley had previously bitten him.
An animal control officer contradicted that, the report said.
A deputy reported Flowers had slurred speech, poor balance, slow reflexes, and bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol.
Neither Whidden nor Flowers could be located Tuesday for comment.
According to jail records, Flowers was also arrested in 2005 on a charge of domestic battery and again in April 2008 on a charge of public intoxication. References« FL State Animal Cruelty Map
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