DeLand Police have arrested a man in connection to the beating of a dog on Saturday. In a news release, the DeLand Police Department announced that a Jacksonville man had been charged with felony cruelty to animals after a dog was badly beaten.
Officers responded to a home on North Marydell Avenue in response to an animal complaint call. The caller informed police that they saw the dog tied to a tree being hit with sticks for scratching a vehicle.
At the scene, officers found a 5-year-old Tan Chow Mix named Stella with a strap tied excessively tight around its neck. DPD says the dog was bleeding from her nose, eye, and mouth.
Officers recognized the dog from previous interactions and noted she was not aggressive. Authorities say Stella was sitting in a defensive posture and wheezing from her muzzle.
Officers found a significant amount of blood in the driveway. DPD says the dog was beaten so badly it defecated. Officers also discovered blood on a rock and a beer bottle near where the dog was lying.
DPD says Naaman P. McGregor claimed he kicked the dog to protect himself from being attacked. The dog’s owner reached the scene and took Stella to the vet for evaluation and treatment.
McGregor was arrested and charged with felony cruelty to animals. He was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail but has been bonded out.
Jay Skelton is an independent crime journalist with a passion for covering the uncovered and the under covered.