A Florida teen has been arrested after he was caught on camera slamming a small dog to the ground at an animal boarding facility.
Joseph Tyler Pendergrass, 18, is facing one count of felony animal cruelty, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said Thursday. Pendergrass was arrested and booked into jail. No attorney information was available.
The surveillance video shows Pendergrass, an employee of the boarding facility, pick up the small Shih Tzu by its leash and slam it to the ground, Sheriff Ivey said.
Sheriff Ivey said staff at the facility discovered that the dog had a broken leg on Jan. 22. When they reviewed the surveillance footage they discovered the abuse and called authorities.
"[It's] one of the most egregious and despicable acts of animal cruelty I've ever seen," Sheriff Ivey said in a video posted on the Brevard Sheriff's Office Facebook page.
The pet is expected to make a full recovery. Sheriff Ivey didn't release the name of the boarding facility.
