A 37-year-old man was arrested by DeLand police after a severely beaten and bloodied dog was found tied to a tree.
On Saturday, April 27, DeLand Police Department officers were dispatched to a home located on N Marydell Avenue in reference to a reported animal complaint. A witness stated that they observed a dog, tied to a tree, that was being hit with sticks because it had scratched a vehicle.
When officers arrived on scene, they found the dog, a 5-year-old female Tan Chow Mix named Stella, and she had an “excessively tight” knot tied around her neck. In addition, she was bleeding from her nose, eye, and mouth, according to DPD.
The police department stated that officers recognized Stella from prior interactions, and the dog was not known to be aggressive. When officers approached her, she appeared scared, and she was wheezing from her muzzle while sitting in a “defensive/protective posture.”
In the driveway, the officers observed a “significant amount of blood.” DPD stated that Stella was beaten so badly that she had defecated, and blood was observed on a nearby rock and beer bottle.
An investigation was quickly launched by DeLand police, and officers spoke with a man, identified as Naaman Patrick McGregor, who admitted to kicking Stella to “protect himself from being attacked,” according to DPD.
Stella’s owner arrived on scene and took the dog to a vet for a medical evaluation and to treat her injuries.
McGregor was arrested and transported to Volusia County Jail, where he was later released the same day after posting a $2,500 bond. He is being charged with felony cruelty to an animal.