A 22-year-old College Station man was charged with animal cruelty on Oct 20, 2004 after an off-duty police officer saw him beating a dog he was supposed to be looking after, authorities said.
The officer said he heard loud thumping noises behind his house at about 3 a.m. and went to investigate, Master Officer Rhonda Seaton said Wednesday. That�s when he saw John Moody in a neighboring back yard, hitting a medium-sized female pit bull and throwing the dog against a tree, Seaton said.
The dog was tied to the tree, she said.
�Think of how loud it must have been to hear it from inside your house,� Seaton said. �It had to be somewhat loud.�
The officer also saw that the rope around the dog�s neck and mouth was tied too tightly and the dog may have had trouble breathing, Seaton said.
Moody, who lives in the 3200 block of Wildrye, was taken in later Wednesday after a warrant was issued for his arrest, Seaton said.
Moody told police the dog bit him and he was trying to teach her a lesson, but that he lost his cool, Seaton said. No bite marks were found on Moody, and when the officer untied the rope from the dog, the dog was not aggressive, she said.
The dog, about 1 year old, belonged to Moody�s roommate�s girlfriend. Moody was supposed to have been watching it for her, Seaton said.
The extent of the dog�s injuries was not immediately available.
The pit bull was taken to a clinic for observation and eventually will be turned over to the Brazos Animal Shelter, said Kelley Durham, executive director of the shelter.
In such cases, Durham said, judges have three choices: Order that the animal be given to the animal shelter, order it be euthanized or order it be auctioned off. The third option is rare, she said.
�From what I understand, the judge will not order the animal be euthanized. He will order it be given to the shelter and then we should make the decision,� Durham said Wednesday night.
Animal cruelty is a state jail felony, punishable by up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
Back to Top References« TX State Animal Cruelty Map
|
