VENICE, Fla. (FOX 13) - A Venice man was arrested for injuring an 8-pound Chihuahua, which eventually died, deputies said.
Deputies with the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office responded to the 300 block of Bucknell Road around 7 p.m. Saturday. They said they initially responded for a domestic disturbance.
Through their investigation, they said the suspect, 26-year-old Aaron Merwine, attempted to kill the dog, named Lucky, with a tile scraper before threatening to kill a female inside the home. Investigators said he punctured "Lucky" five times near its neck and head. The Chihuahua eventually died.
A neighbor intervened and disarmed Merwine, deputies said. The good Samaritan also detained the suspect until officials arrived.
Officer with Sarasota County Animal Services took custody of the dog and will conduct a necropsy to determine its exact cause of death.
Merwine was arrested on several charges including aggravated cruelty to animals. Information regarding the circumstances leading up to the domestic dispute has not been provided.