North Side man charged with stabbing pit bull with box cutter

A Pittsburgh man Wednesday was charged with stabbing a pit bull with a box cutter multiple times inside his North Side apartment during an argument with a woman, critically wounding the dog.

Corey Hayward, 47, was arguing with Ranelle Touchstone in the 1110 block of Sheffield Street in Manchester on Tuesday night when he stabbed the dog, who is named Champ, according to a criminal complaint.

Champ, who police described in court records as “large,” was “secured in a bathroom” while the pair argued, according to the complaint.

The relationship between Hayward and the woman was unclear in court records. Police also did not identify Champ’s owner.

During the argument, Hayward “pulled out a box cutter from his pocket and began antagonizing Champ, while swinging the blade in front of him,” the complaint said.

Touchstone told police Hayward “was intoxicated, on drugs and was making statements about the devil coming,” the complaint said.

Hayward then stabbed the dog, the complaint said. Touchstone ran out of the apartment and called 911 from a neighbor’s apartment.

Police said they were dispatched around 10:25 p.m. Responding officers found Hayward on the building’s front stoop, kneeling and holding down the dog, the complaint said.

The “dog needs to be put down,” Hayward said, according to police.

A blood trail led from the apartment to the front stoop.

Hayward refused to “let the dog up from his hold,” the complaint said. Police later secured Champ “to a railing” to separate the two.

Police said the bloodied dog had “multiple deep lacerations” to his back, chest, stomach, leg and right side. The dog was actively bleeding.

Champ’s wounds “were deep and thick enough to see fat, tissue and muscle,” according to the complaint.

Paramedics arrived but Hayward refused treatment for two bite wounds on his hands, the complaint said. Police said Hayward provided an inaccurate home address.

“After questioning and corroborating statements provided, it was determined that Hayward was the primary aggressor and could have removed himself instead of interacting with Champ,” Pittsburgh police Officer Adam Germeyer wrote in the complaint.

Hayward was taken into custody without incident. Paramedics took him to Allegheny General Hospital and authorities later moved him to the Allegheny County Jail, the complaint said.

The woman was required to turn Champ over to the city’s animal control officers, which is standard policy, the complaint said.

Police later charged Hayward with one felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor count of cruelty of animals.

A district judge released him on nonmonetary bail during his Wednesday afternoon arraignment hearing, court records show.

Hayward’s attorney was not listed Thursday in court records. Hayward did not return phone calls seeking comment.

The dog was set to be taken to an emergency pet hospital. His condition was not available Thursday.

Police spokeswomen did not immediately return an email seeking comment.