Anthony Bellman: Florida man arrested for tying a rope around a Shih Tzu's neck and dumping it in trash
LEHIGH ACRES, FLORIDA: A man was arrested after a mostly-blind Shih Tzu was rescued from a dumpster in Florida last week when workers at a Family Dollar store found a trash bag "with something moving inside," authorities said on Tuesday, December 19. According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, the incident took place on December 14 in Lehigh Acres.
"Stuffed inside the bag, employees found sweet Xyla, a 16-year-old Shih Tzu, with a rope around her neck," Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said. "These heroic employees recognized this to be purposeful abuse and rushed Xyla to Blue Pearl Pet Hospital for evaluation."
Detectives said Xyla had a microchip
The sheriff’s Animal Cruelty Task Force immediately responded and found surveillance footage which showed a suspect driving up to the dumpster, taking a trash bag out of his trunk and tossing it into the dumpster from several feet away, according to authorities. Detectives learned that Xyla had a microchip and discovered that her original owners were deceased.
With the help of 'the latest and greatest technology', detectives were able to trace the vehicle driven by the suspect in the surveillance footage to a residence, the sheriff’s office said. The authorities found a man at the home, identified as Anthony Bellman "who happened to be wearing the same clothing as the suspect in the footage," officials said.
Detectives were also able to connect the dog to Bellman as he had adopted Xyla after their passing.
What charges does Anthony Bellman face?
Police said Bellman had tried to strangle the dog and snap her neck with a belt instead of taking her to be euthanized, Daily Mail reports. Bellman posted a $50,000 surety bond on Friday, December 15. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 16.
Detectives took Bellman in for questioning and found probable cause to charge him with one count of aggravated animal cruelty. He will also be placed on the animal abuse registry. "Today, I’m proud to announce that justice was indeed served upon a selfish and cruel individual, who clearly has no regard for animals," Marceno said.
Meanwhile, Xyla was still recovering from the 'horrific incident' while authorities and animal services worked to find her a loving home. "We are ONE team that comes together to be a voice for the innocent, such as Xyla," Marceno said, adding "We will never stop holding individuals accountable for these heinous actions here in this county."
