Dog Set On Fire Inside Crate At Apartment Parking Lot, Euthanized

A man in East Cleveland, Ohio, was arrested Tuesday for burning a stray dog in a crate.

Residents of an apartment complex found the stray dog and decided to take it in. However, on realizing that there was room for the canine in their apartments, the residents placed the animal in a crate and left it in the parking lot. On Sept.6, the canine was set on fire inside the crate by someone. The residents rushed the dog to a nearby animal hospital where it was put down due to the extent of the injuries.

East Cleveland police began an investigation into the incident and started searching for the culprit. They were assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Cleveland Animal Protective League. On Monday, a $2,000 reward was announced for information that led to the arrest of the perpetrator.

The following day, 27-year-old Antonio Dinel Johnson was taken into custody. Police said Johnson entered the parking lot with a possible accelerant and set the crate ablaze while the canine was still inside it. He is scheduled to appear at the East Cleveland Municipal Court this week and will likely be charged with animal cruelty. The reason behind the crime was not known.

In a similar incident in Atlanta, Georgia, earlier this month, a man was arrested for setting a dog on fire. Police responded to the scene after receiving reports of a box containing a dog on fire. The canine had succumbed to injuries by the time the officers reached the scene. The responding officers noticed a cord around the Yorkshire terrier’s neck. Some witnesses said they saw a white man carrying a box while the others said they saw him attempting to set the box on fire. Investigation led to 29-year-old Jessie Collins who was booked into Fulton County jail. The condition of the dog was not known.