A Peoria man has been charged with animal cruelty after he was seen body slamming a dog to the ground.
On April 6th, 2023 at approximately 7:45 am, Peoria Police detectives and Peoria Police Animal Control arrested 42-year-old, Jeffrey Wright, on felony Animal Cruelty Charges.
According to the Peoria Police Department, Animal Control officers responded to an animal welfare call for service in the 25800 block of N 107th Drive in Peoria. The caller reported that they witnessed the suspect abusing a dog by body slamming and kicking it repeatedly. They also said the incident was captured on video. In the video, you see Wright kicking the dog, body slamming it, punching it and putting his knee on the dog causing the dog to defecate. Animal Control Officers took the animal for medical care, where it was determined to have non-life threating injuries.
According to the dog owner that night, Wright was just visiting at the house when the incident occurred. The dog was returned to the owner and the case was turned over to Peoria Police detectives.
Detectives learned that Wright had returned to the home and was staying at the residence on a regular basis. Detectives arrested Wright at the location without incident.
Wright was booked him on a felony Animal Cruelty charge at the Maricopa County Jail.
The dog was seized due to the suspect having a domestic relationship with the dog owner.