RAY TWP. (WWJ) – A veterinarian from Macomb County has been charged with one count of animal cruelty after a video surfaced last week showing his alleged mistreatment of a dog at his Ray Township home.
The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office did not release the name of the man who has been charged, but at a press conference last week he was identified as a 52-year-old vet from Ray Township.
If convicted, the misdemeanor charge carries a penalty of up to 93 days in jail, a $1,000 fine and up to 200 hours of community service.
Last week Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel held a press conference and released the video of what he described as the “incredibly graphic” incident.
The video, which was posted to YouTube last week, but soon removed, shows a chaotic scene as the man drags what appears to be a German Shepherd out of a room and down a hallway, screaming at it.
The man then proceeds to choke it, while the person recording, believed to be his son makes alarming comments such as “I finally got some good s***.”
Related
Prosecutor Pete Lucido says investigators have the phone that recorded the video, but have not yet been able to retrieve its contents.
Lucido said Macomb County Animal Control officials examined the dog and determined it was not injured in the incident.
Investigators also discovered the dog in question had bitten a child and a puppy inside the home prior to the man’s outburst.
Lucido noted the press conference and statements made to the press last week before all evidence had been recovered “may now raise evidentiary challenges.” He said he would welcome improvements to Michigan’s animal cruelty statute, which currently only offers limited options to prosecutors for this set of facts.
Related
