Man charged with stabbing his dog to death

WEST PHILADELPHIA - January 3, 2012 (WPVI) -- A West Philadelphia man has been charged with stabbing a dog to death with a butcher knife - a dog that he part owned with his friend.

The scene was a row home in the 5500 block of Jefferson Street.

Police were responding to reports of man with a large butcher knife stabbing a dog.

"When they arrived at the location there was a deceased dog with multiple stab wounds in the rear yard. I arrived on scene, also witnessed the dog, I saw at least 7 [stab wounds]," Richard Loos of the Pennsylvania SPCA.

The dog was a 6-year-old female pit bull named Mama's.

According to authorities and the homeowner, the altercation stemmed from an ongoing feud between two friends over their part ownership of the two dogs and whose turn it was to buy the dog food.

But tonight, authorities say the feud turned brutally violent.

"There was an altercation between two gentlemen and as a result, he took it out on the dog, and stabbed and killed the animal," Loos said.

Authorities later removed a large butcher knife from the back of the suspect's car.

A West Philadelphia man, said to be in his mid-30s, was taken into custody for questioning by Southwest Detectives.

SPCA humane officers also removed another pit bull from the home that they say was living in unsanitary conditions.

"I didn't see any injuries to that dog, but we will take it back for forensic evaluation to make sure the dog is okay," Loos said.

The West Philadelphia man and others were questioned late into the night Tuesday.

The suspects face multiple charges of cruelty to animals.

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philadelphia, pennsylvania, stabbing, animals, spca, crime, dann cuellar

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