Police and the Hawaiian Humane Society are investigating a case of a 52-year-old man who allegedly strangled his dog at Waimanalo Beach Park on Sunday. Police arrest owner
in death of pet dogThe Humane Society urges stricter
penalties for abuse of animalsBy Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.comThe suspect was arrested after he was seen choking his dog on the beach about 10 a.m. and putting the dog's face underwater, police said.
A 51-year-old Kaneohe man got into a shoving match with the suspect after attempting to stop the assault, police said.
The suspect told the victim that he was disciplining the animal, police said.
The suspect left and later returned with three men who physically assaulted the 51-year-old man, police said. The man was treated and released at Castle Medical Center for several broken ribs, facial cuts and scratches, police said.
The dog was later found dead at the suspect's Waimanalo home. Police released the suspect Sunday evening pending further investigation.
"We've been talking about the link between animal abuse and human violence," said Pamela Burns, president of the Hawaiian Humane Society.
"This is a perfect example of that," she said.
Burns testified in favor of Senate Bill 1581 earlier this year, emphasizing the importance of stiffening the penalties for animal cruelty crimes.
The bill creates new offenses of aggravated cruelty to animals that include any act "against an animal that is especially heinous, atrocious, cruel or unnecessarily torturous and that manifests exceptional depravity in the process, so as to manifest a lack of conscience or pity."
The crime would be a Class C felony. Currently, animal cruelty charges are misdemeanors.
"Increasing the offense from a misdemeanor to a felony sends a message that this kind of violence should not be tolerated in our society," Burns said.
"Anyone that shows violent tendencies puts the entire community at risk, both people and animals," she said.
The bill has passed the Senate and has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
Hawaiian Humane Society