A man is facing charges more than one week after fatally injuring a family member’s six-year-old Chihuahua, Tampa police say.
TPD says officers responded on Monday, May 4, to a home on West Cordelia Street, where they found 37-year-old Christopher Malone intoxicated after intentionally causing a fatal injury to the dog, Rufus, when he walked past him.
Investigators with Hillsborough County Animal Control confirmed that Rufus’ death was caused by blunt force trauma.
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Police say Rufus weighed only four pounds.
Malone was arrested on Tuesday and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. He was transported to the Orient Road Jail.
“The depravity required to intentionally harm a defenseless, four-pound animal is deeply disturbing,” Chief Lee Bercaw said in a statement. “This was a senseless act of violence against a family pet that offered nothing but companionship. Our hearts go out to the family who lost their beloved dog in such a tragic way, and we are committed to ensuring this individual is held fully accountable for his actions.”