PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — About a week after a man reported his dog stolen to Gresham authorities, officials have alleged he was lying all along.
The Gresham Police Department revealed that they are searching for Christian Myles in an attempt to arrest him for first-degree aggravated animal abuse, initiating a false report and other charges. The agency previously announced that they were searching for his puppy Shayla — after he claimed the German Shepherd and Rottweiler mix had been stolen by four people who attacked him in the downtown Gresham area.
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But on Wednesday, GPD stated that Myles was “highly intoxicated” and “unable to provide an exact location where the alleged robbery took place.” According to authorities, detectives have since viewed surveillance footage that showed the man “repeatedly striking” the 9-month-old dog before getting into a physical altercation with a customer at a Gresham bar.
Police said the customer grabbed Shayla out of concern for her safety, and investigators now believe Myles fabricated his report.
“While the Gresham Police Department is grateful a concerned community member took action to ensure Shayla’s safety, their subsequent efforts to informally find her a new home were inappropriate and potentially illegal,” GPD said in a release…