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A pet owner was booked and charged with aggravated animal cruelty after he allegedly “placed a dog in an oven” after getting into an argument with a family member over the puppy’s barking.
The suspect has been identified as James Williamson, 44, from Atmore, Alabama.
Authorities responded to the incident on Dogwood Place – roughly 50 miles from the city of Mobile – after they received a call about an injured animal.
The man allegedly threatened the family member by stating that he would throw the dog in the oven if it didn’t stop barking, according to Atmore Police and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
When police arrived at the scene, they made a horrific discovery.
A deceased Chihuahua puppy was found in the driveway with serious burn injuries, local station WSAZ reports.
Investigators believe Williamson placed a chair in front of the oven so the dog could not force the door open.
Neighbors reportedly heard a “yelping” sound from inside the 44-year-old’s home in Atmore.
When Sergeant Darrell McMann from Atmore Police arrived at the scene, he was left heartbroken by what he found.
“I have a Chihuahua myself,” McMann said.
“When I got there, I was just at a loss for words, you know. I really was just stood there and looked at the dog for a little bit and had to get myself together,” he told Fox10 TV.
He believes the law should be tougher on those who commit such acts.
“I think in cases like this, they should be strengthened. Because I don’t think being a class C felony fits what he did.
“That pretty much describes what he did: horrible and inhumane,” he said.
Williamson was charged with a class C felony and has been landed with a $15,000 bond.
If found guilty, he will be barred from animal ownership in the future, reports Fox10.
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