Dog beaten, caught on video Waterbury, CT (US)Incident Date: Friday, Oct 1, 2010 County: New Haven
Disposition: Not Charged Case Images: 1 files available
Person of Interest: Luis Rivera
A Waterbury man seen in a video supposedly beating a dog comes forward to say the pictures don’t tell the full story.
Tuesday, the man caught on tape appearing to beat his dog told News 8 his side of the story.
The first thing Luis Rivera wanted to do was show Reporter Erin Cox his dog Oreo, claiming there's not a scratch on the nine-month-old pit bull. It is the same dog seen on the ground in the Report It video and Rivera admits that he is hitting the animal in the video.
“I've seen the video and it looks bad,” said the dog’s owner, Luis Rivera.
That is why the unidentified neighbor who shot the video sent it to News 8 through our Report It feature.
The neighbor says it is abuse claiming the dog was being prepped for dog fighting, wiped down with scented cloths.
Rivera denies it saying he used baby wipes to clean feces off Oreo. He also told News 8 the dog had gotten tangled with its run wire around his neck. At the same time he was trying to free the dog, it was spooked by kids on a Quad.
“That’s when you saw me hitting him with his leash, the tip of his leash,” Rivera explained. “I was just, ya know, not beating on him just trying to get his attention.”
Luis Rivera voluntarily brought the dog to the Waterbury Police Department along with a letter from a local veterinarian stating the dog has no scars and shows no signs of abuse. But Rivera worries he could lose Oreo.
Rivera said “I’m a good owner, a good owner. I love that dog.”
Detectives will now review the owner's story and photos they took of the dog at the police department. References« CT State Animal Cruelty Map « More cases in New Haven County, CT
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