TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Deputy: Dog Was Abused

ADVERTISEMENT

By MIKE WELLS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 1, 2007

From Pedro Rodriguez's view, he was punishing his runaway puppy, authorities said.

But to the deputy who saw the Valrico man "brutally" kicking the animal early Friday, he had just committed a serious crime.

Shortly before 1 a.m., Deputy Tammy Rook was patrolling the Brandon area when she saw Rodriguez walking north on a Parsons Avenue sidewalk. He was holding his black puppy, Chu-Cho, off the ground and was repeatedly kicking the animal.

During the next three to five minutes, the 6-month-old puppy's paws touched the ground only once, Rook said in the report.
Rook arrested Rodriguez, 24, near Clay Avenue.

Rodriguez told the deputy that Chu-Cho "was his dog and he could do whatever he wanted and that he did it because the dog ran away," Rook wrote in the report.

Chu-Cho was taken to an after-hours emergency veterinary clinic then transferred to the custody of Hillsborough County Animal Services, said Marti Ryan, a spokeswoman for the agency.

Animal services will petition for permanent custody of the Labrador-mix puppy if the owner does not agree to sign the dog over, Ryan said. An animal abuse investigator will review whether Rodriguez has other animals at his home.

"Chu-Cho is a young, friendly dog," she said. "It's amazing at how forgiving animals can be under these circumstances."

Rodriguez was being held in Orient Road Jail. Bail had not been set, according to jail records. He faces one third-degree felony count of animal cruelty and a possible probation violation.

In April 2006, he pleaded guilty to cocaine possession with intent to sell and was placed on probation for two years, court records show.

Reporter Mike Wells can be reached at (813) 259-7839 or mwells@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT