TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— James Minard was arrested Sunday after allegedly beating a dog until it had to be put down from its injuries, court records state.
According to the Probable Cause Affidavit from the Terre Haute Police Department, multiple individuals in the neighborhood allegedly witnessed Minard beating the dog with a shovel. According to Minard the dog acted aggressively after removing a food bowl and attacked him. Minard then stated he picked up the dog and moved him into the shed where he was found by officers.
According to one of the officers who spoke with Minard, he contradicted himself multiple times throughout the interview on where the dog had attacked him and gave three different locations of where the incident had occurred.
The dog in question, named Melvin, was a 10-year-old Bulldog who only had two teeth left on his bottom jaw due to age, something that was corroborated by a neighbor who had babysat the dog many times. All witnesses including Minard had stated that the dog had no history of signs of aggression. When Melvin was found it was noted that he was not moving, and had bloody injuries to the head and face. Sadly the injured animal did not survive its injuries and had to be put down to prevent further suffering.
Minard is being charged with a misdemeanor of first-offense cruelty to an animal and a level 6 felony of torturing or mutilating a vertebrate animal. His bond is currently set at $15,000 with no 10% allowed and is scheduled for his initial hearing at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
