A 32-year-old Desert Hot Springs man is facing a felony animal cruelty charge after security cameras at Huntington Harbour Marina allegedly caught him hoisting a pug by its leash, restricting its airway, and punching the dog before officers arrived and took him into custody early Sunday morning.
William Kenneth Slocum was booked into custody at 1:05 a.m. on Sunday, September 20, on suspicion of intentional animal cruelty, according to Huntington Beach Police Department arrest log records reported by the New York Post. The arrest came after Steve Tripp, who reviewed live footage for Corona-based remote surveillance firm Secure Tel LLC, spotted the incident unfolding on camera and immediately called police. Secure Tel is a virtual remote live-monitoring company.
According to the Post’s account of the footage, Slocum hoisted the pug over his shoulder by its leash, suspended the dog off the ground, and restricted its airway before punching it at least twice more. Tripp said Slocum appeared to be under the influence during the attack and displayed erratic behavior, including licking his own hands. The pug appeared to be in visible distress, per Tripp, walking in a crooked manner with its tongue hanging out before Slocum tied it to a gate, where it paced in circles.
Video of the Incident Spreads Fast
Footage showing the suspect suspending the pug by its leash at the marina went viral across local news outlets and social media shortly after the incident, as reported by Orange County Patch. Huntington Harbour is a coastal waterfront community in northern Huntington Beach known for private boat slips, public docks, and residential waterways, a setting that made the marina’s security cameras an unlikely but crucial witness. Secure Tel also posted a statement about the incident on Instagram, according to the Post’s reporting…