Los Angeles: During the week of May 14, 2012, LAPD Animal Cruelty Task Force (ACTF) were involved in two unrelated preliminary hearings that involved brutal dog beatings.
On February 10, 2012 the ACTF was involved in an animal cruelty investigation in Harbor Division. According to witnesses, a male suspect entered his neighbor’s yard and maliciously began to beat a small Shih Tzu and a Boxer with a stick. During the beating, the dogs attempted to run and hide from the suspect. The suspect beat his neighbor’s dogs by forcefully kicking, stomping and hitting them with a thick broom handle. Many of the witnesses were drawn to the scene by the horrific sound of the dogs yelping in pain. According to witnesses, the dog beating lasted approximately thirty minutes before the police were called. At one point, the suspect encouraged his own German Shepard dog to viciously attack the two dogs that had already been injured due to the beating. The Shih Tzu died of blunt force trauma and the Boxer sustained serious injuries but has since recovered. The suspect will be arraigned in Long Beach Court on June, 2012. If sentenced, the suspect could face a maximum of four years in state prison, but the sentence may vary at the court’s discretion.
On May 2, 2012, the ACTF was involved in another investigation that concerned the brutal beating of a dog, a full grown St. Bernard. In this case, witnesses reported that a male transient suspect was seen beating a St. Bernard dog in the area of Manchester Boulevard and Broadway as a street carnival was being set up for community festivities. According to witnesses, the St. Bernard was minding his own business when the suspect forcefully kicked the dog’s hind legs. The dog fled from the suspect and attempted to hide by a nearby school. The suspect followed the dog and continued the beating. Witnesses reported the suspect used a stick and a street barricade to strike the dog. Police officers were dispatched to the scene and arrested the suspect for animal cruelty. The St. Bernard had to be euthanized due to the severity of its injuries. The suspect will be arraigned in Compton Court next month. If sentenced, the suspect could face a maximum 12 years in state prison due to his criminal history and a weapon being used during the crime. ACTF could not establish the reason why these two suspects brutally beat the dogs in these two cases. According to witnesses, the attacks on the dogs were unprovoked.