A Florida man was arrested and charged Monday with kicking a puppy in the face at a beach in the Gulf Coast city of Clearwater.
According to Clearwater Police, multiple witnesses saw Noah Counts, 20, kick the three-month-old puppy, drag it by its leash and throw it over a wall.
Authorities said dogs are not allowed on the beach.
Police found a charcoal grill and two open containers of alcohol at the scene in violation of a city ordinance.
Mr. Counts told officers he punished the dog for eating food that didn’t belong to him.
Mr. Counts was booked into Pinellas County Jail and charged with animal cruelty. Police did not provide an update on the dog’s condition.
• Peter Santo can be reached at psanto@washingtontimes.com.
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