A man accused in West Hollywood of stomping an older chihuahua named Dallas and throwing him off a balcony pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony charges that have kept his case open for more than a year. Anmol Bhatia, who prosecutors say broke into his former roommate’s apartment on the 1200 block of North Harper Avenue after being kicked out days earlier, appeared for arraignment on Sept. 30 and entered his plea to an information outlining the charges he will now defend against as the case moves forward.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the attack took place at 11:36 p.m. on Sept. 4, 2025, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Bhatia did not have permission to enter the apartment that night. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office reported that surveillance video captured at least part of what happened to Dallas, and the Times quoted authorities describing the footage: “The footage shows a masked man enter the apartment and jog toward the small dog. The man then proceeds to attack the dog until it stops moving.” Bhatia is accused of slamming Dallas to the ground and stomping on him before throwing the unresponsive chihuahua from the balcony; the dog was later found dead outside the building.
Investigators identified Bhatia, 27, as a person of interest, noting he had previously lived at the apartment and was a friend of Dallas’ owner before being kicked out several days before the break-in. He was arrested in Beverly Hills on Sept. 21, 2025, after officers from that city’s police department recognized him from a description shared by sheriff’s investigators, the Times reported. He was booked into West Hollywood Station on suspicion of burglary, vandalism and animal cruelty.
Felony Charges and a Vulnerable-Victim Allegation
Prosecutors charged Bhatia with one felony count each of first-degree residential burglary, animal cruelty and vandalism, according to NBC Los Angeles. The vandalism count involves at least $400 in damage or destruction of property, and investigators believe, per the Times, that Bhatia stole several items from the apartment, including a backpack containing his former roommate’s wallet, identification, credit cards and cash, along with damage to a large-screen television…