Dog beaten with large flashlight
Bradenton, FL (US)

Incident Date: Sunday, Apr 1, 2012
County: Manatee

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Zoraida Garcia

A Bradenton woman has been charged with animal cruelty after allegedly beating a dog with a large flashlight.

According to the Manatee County Sheriff's Department, two deputies were checking on a commercial burglar alarm when they heard a dog yelping around 10:15 p.m. Sunday night.

The deputies said they saw Zoraida Garcia, 59, beating the dog with a "large, Maglite-type" flashlight at a business across the street.

An arrest report stated Garcia was observed by the deputies raising the flashlight above her head and bringing it down on the dog's head and body.

The deputies yelled at Garcia to stop allegedly beating the dog and shined their own flashlights at her in the parking lot of Cruz Towing, at 4900 15th St. E. According to the deputies, the woman did not stop beating the dog.

As the deputies approached Garcia, she had a rifle-type gun in her hand and the deputies told her to put it down. Garcia complied and was taken into custody. The deputies determined the gun was a BB gun.

The injured dog, Chucha, an approximately 2-year-old white male pit bull had difficulty walking and was bleeding from its front leg and head.

The dog also had swelling consistent with blunt force trauma to its head and hind quarters, the report stated.

Manatee County Animal Services took the dog to a veterinarian for medical treatment.

The owner of the dog advised that Garcia is his employee and stays inside the lot of his business to assist with night security.

The owner relinquished ownership of the dog citing pending medical bills as a result of the beating. One of the deputies will take custody of the dog when he is released from medical treatment, officials said.

Garcia was charged with cruelty to an animal with injury.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at (941) 747-3011 or Crime Stoppers at (866) 634-8477.

References

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