Man caught on video beating dog surrenders animal to police, charges to be based on dog’s condition

ROSS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Ross Township police said the man caught on camera horrifically beating a small dog has surrendered the animal and any charges will be based off of its condition.

Police said the dog was taken to Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh and it appeared to be in stable condition and “good spirits.” There are concerns, however, for the nature and extent of the animal’s internal injuries.

Police said the alleged incident happened on Tuesday in the parking lot of InTown Suites on McKnight Road.

Channel 11 received a still image of the video.

The video showed a man in his 20′s wearing a white hoodie, dark sweatpants and a goatee punching, choking, slamming, and then repeatedly punching a small white dog, police said.

A source told Channel 11 Friday evening the man in the video had been arrested and charged, however - according to further sources within the department the man has not been taken into custody.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WPXI apps for alerts as news breaks]

“The fact that it’s a smaller dog is more concerning, because there is simply less body mass there to absorb the blows,” said Kohlhepp.

In the video, you could hear people inside the hotel off camera, yelling at him objecting to the acts of animal cruelty. The man was seen throwing bottles at them.

”Just to think someone would take advantage of an animal like that here and hurt them on camera, it is crazy,” said Indiana Johnson, hotel guest.

The man was seen in the video with another man and woman. As they leave the hotel, the dog ran to a grassy area, where the other man grabs the dog and the suspect is seen hitting the dog with a closed fist. He’s also seen grabbing the dog from the other man, and then slamming it against the side of their black GMC Yukon.

The man was then seen throwing the dog into the SUV and then brutally beating the animal before leaving the area in the SUV.

“The message needs to be sent that harming any living and breathing thing is absolutely not ok, it does not matter what it is,” said Johnson.

Ross Police believe that these people are local to the Pittsburgh area.

Trial starts for man extradited from Israel in Dormont rape investigation, victim testifies

Cox Media Group