Pomona man charged with animal cruelty; tries to drown, revive, again drown puppy




at Lake Broward Park

BY CHRIS DEVITTO

A Pomona Park man was arrested Thursday on charges of animal cruelty after attempting to drown, revive then drown a female 10-12-week-old puppy at Lake Broward Park.

According to a report from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, witnesses at the park saw Sabeno Martinez-Perez throw the dog into the water, let it drown, revive the dog, and throw it back into the water again.

The report stated that a witness said once the dog appeared lifeless, Martinez-Perez would perform mouth-to-mouth and beat on the dog’s chest to revive it.

When Deputy April Mayle arrived in reference to an animal cruelty complaint, she saw Martinez-Perez sitting on the dock with the dog lying beside him, the report stated.

When Mayle asked that Martinez-Perez come to shore she saw him push the dog under water as he swam to shore, the report also stated.

Mayle told Martinez-Perez to lift the dog from the water but he refused the command, then picked the dog up by its front paws and shook it vigorously, it stated.

Martinez-Perez was placed under arrest and the dog was given to a Putnam County Sheriff’s Office animal control officer.

PCSO Capt. Rick Lashley said Martinez-Perez was initially held on $1,004 bond, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement has a hold on him for illegal immigration.



He added that Martinez-Perez was living at 116 Greenville Road in the Simmons Work Camp.

Lashley said on Friday the dog was doing fine and recovering from its ordeal.

He said animal control officer Stacy Coulliette took the dog home overnight for observation.

“I think she’ll pull through pretty well - which is really phenomenal,â€