SANTA ANA, Calif. (WSVN) — A California man has been arrested after he was accused of tying a dog up and kicking the animal repeatedly.
Santa Ana Police arrested 28-year-old Jose Manuel Pantoja, Tuesday.
Police said witnesses called 911 and reported seeing a man tying up a small 13-year-old Chihuahua and kicking the animal repeatedly.
Investigators said when they arrived, they found Pantoja over the animal, which was tied up with a bungee cord and multi-colored electrical wire.
Pantoja was arrested and the pup was rushed to an animal hospital.
Pantoja told police the animal didn’t belong to him, and it was just following him around.
Police eventually were able to locate the Chihuahua’s family, who said the dog, named “Max,” had escaped their yard after someone had left the gate open.
The family, who had Max since he was a puppy, was distraught and had been looking for him all night.
Police said Max has since been reunited with his family.
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