Florida Man Facing Charges After 2 Dogs Found Dead, Bound And Hanging By Their Necks

A Florida man is facing charges after authorities found two dogs bound in ropes and chains hanging by their necks from a tree.

The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said deputies initially responded on Sunday evening to a residence at 2111 Dade Road in Fort Pierce for a civil matter, described by Sheriff Richard Del Toro at a press conference on Monday as a disturbance involving “some lawnmower type of equipment.”

At the scene, deputies received no response at the front door, but her noises from the backyard, Del Toro said. There, they discovered two deceased dogs. The dogs, one male and one female, “were found suspended by their necks from a tree, bound with various ropes and chains,” the sheriff’s office said.

The resident, Salomon Cruz-Perez, “acknowledged that he did own the dogs, and they must have gotten tied up themselves,” Del Toro said.

The deputies “obviously did not believe” that story and questioned Cruz-Perez further, Del Toro said. Cruz-Perez then said he had previously tried to get the dogs euthanized, but was told by St. Lucie County Animal Control that they do not perform euthanizations and he would have to find a veterinarian to do it at his own expense.

Detectives obtained a search warrant and their investigation “continued throughout the night.” Investigators discovered the animals were bound with “coaxial cable, paracord, tie-down straps, and chains.”

St. Lucie County Animal Control took possession of the deceased animals, and they will be transported to Orlando for a necropsy.

Cruz-Perez was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated animal cruelty resulting in death. He was booked into St. Lucie County Jail with a bond set at $30,000 for each count, for a total of $60,000.

The case remains under investigation.