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May 18, 2013 (Spring Valley) – A 69-year-old Spring Valley man has been arrested in connection with the vicious beating of a dog. An officer with the County of San Diego Department of Animal Services (DAS) has arrested 69-year-old Charles Dudley on May 14. A neighbor called DAS saying he witnessed the beating in Dudley’s backyard on the 3500 block of Bentley Drive a day earlier.
The Animal Control Officer who responded to the scene found a two-year-old female Miniature Pinscher barely breathing in the backyard and rushed the eight-pound animal to an emergency veterinary hospital. Despite emergency care, the dog succumbed to its injuries overnight. A necropsy will be performed on the body to determine the exact cause of death.
When Animal Control Officer Lori Brown returned to the scene yesterday evening, she said Dudley admitted to beating the dog because the animal had dug up a tree he had just planted. Dudley was arrested on one count of felony animal cruelty, a crime that could send him to state prison, force him to pay a fine up to $20,000 or both.
“Basically this dog lost her life because she didn’t intuitively know the newly-planted tree was off limits,” said Animal Services Director Dawn Danielson. “She paid dearly for doing what dogs naturally do. We cannot thank the person enough who spoke up regarding this horrific case and we encourage everyone to report cases of animal abuse.”
Anyone who witnesses animal cruelty or abuse is asked to contact the Department of Animal Services 24-hour emergency dispatch center at (619) 236-2341.
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