This guy belongs on a leash.
A twisted Florida brute is facing animal cruelty charges after police said he hurled his tiny pet Chihuahua, Raven, off a balcony “like a football,” authorities said Tuesday.
Dalton Chad Sousa, 30, of Fort Myers, allegedly left the 3-year-old pooch with multiple fractures, including a broken leg and a broken mandible, after throwing her from the balcony on Sunday, according to a Facebook post by the Lee County Sheriff‘s Office.
“It is always disappointing to learn of an innocent animal abused by an owner they trust,” Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a statement.
“I will continue to do my part to stand up for those who cannot protect themselves,” he said. “Violent and abusive behavior towards an animal will not be tolerated in Lee County. This suspect will now pay the price for this disgusting crime.”
Deputies learned of the incident after getting called to the Blue Pearl Animal Hospital on a report of an injured dog and found Raven bruised and battered.
The dog’s owner claimed “a friend” threw Raven but left her at the vet’s office after getting into a beef with the staff — prompting them to call the sheriff’s office.
The department tracked down Sousa and charged him with aggravated animal cruelty on Monday.
Raven, who was seen in heartbreaking photos sporting a cast on her front paw and a neck brace, is being treated by the vet and is expected to make a full recovery, authorities said.
Sousa is being held at the Lee County Jail on $5,000 bail, records show.
