Florida man accused of throwing chihuahua off hotel balcony 'like a football,' deputies say
Credit Lee County Sheriff's Office
A Florida man was taken to jail after he threw a dog off a balcony, causing the animal to break several bones, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office.
Dalton Sousa, 30, of Fort Myers, was arrested on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty.
Deputies responded to the Blue Pearl Animal Hospital on Sunday regarding an injured 3-year-old Chihuaha named Raven.
Investigators soon learned that a man, later identified as Sousa, had told an employee that the dog had been tossed off a balcony by a friend "like a football," deputies said.
Raven suffered multiple fractures, including a broken leg and a broken mandible, officials said.
Authorities said Sousa then got into an argument with the veterinarian before taking off, leaving the dog behind.
He was later located on Monday and booked into the Lee County jail.
Raven remains in the care of the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.