Man Strangles Girlfriend's Pet Dog After Getting Upset, Charged With Animal Cruelty

A 22-year-old man was arrested and charged with animal cruelty for strangling his girlfriend's dog Tuesday evening at a home in Oviedo, Florida.

According to Seminole County Sheriff's Office, Jason Fletcher intentionally suffocated the dog of his "soon-to-be-ex" at the home near McCulloch Road and Lockwood Boulevard. Fletcher's girlfriend told police that her dog, a pug named Nala, was crying, lethargic, having difficulty breathing and had a bloodied and swollen rectum.

The report stated that the dog survived the incident.

Fletcher's girlfriend, who was not named, told a deputy that her boyfriend has a history of hurting animals when he gets upset. He has previously killed his ex-girlfriend's animals, according to the police report.

Investigators said Fletcher admitted to the incident and was arrested on charges of animal cruelty.

"Due to this suspect’s inability to control his temper, he inflicted significant pain and injury on a defenseless animal," Bob Kealing, a Sheriff's Office spokesman said. "As a result, he is facing serious felony charges."

Fletcher was held at the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 bail. Other details about the case remain unknown.

Last year, a Chicago man was arrested for throwing two pet dogs off a balcony. Jerald L. Jeske, a 51-year-old man from Park Ridge, Chicago, was fighting with his wife, 55, shortly before the incident. His wife told investigators that the accused entered into an argument with her when they were in the car and he had slapped her twice in anger.

As the fight heated up, he took hold of the woman’s dogs and flung them off the balcony of the second floor of the house. One of the dogs died in the incident.