Pinellas County man accused of beating Chihuahua to death: PCSO

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Courtesy: Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

WEST LEALMAN, Fla. - A Pinellas County man is facing a felony animal cruelty charge after deputies say he beat his dog to death for entering a room she was not allowed in, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

The backstory:

Deputies responded to the West Lealman area shortly before 3 p.m. on Saturday to a reported verbal domestic disturbance at a home in the 5200 block of 78th Street North, PCSO said.

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When deputies arrived, they found a 7-year-old Chihuahua mix named Sheba dead outside the home, according to the sheriff's office.

Dig deeper:

Investigators say Christopher Howard, 35, became angry after the dog entered a bedroom where she was not allowed. Howard allegedly kicked the dog across the room, then picked her up by the neck and threw her toward the front doorway.

Deputies say Howard then hit the dog with a chair across its neck and back area before picking the dog up by the neck again and dropping her on the ground outside the home.

Howard was arrested on one count of felony cruelty to animals. He was taken to the Pinellas County Jail.