CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. - Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office detectives have issued an arrest warrant for a 39-year-old Crawfordville man in connection with the death of his brindle bulldog, according to Major Maurice Langston.
Nathaniel Harris, the suspect, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals and abandonment.
Harris's dog was found dead at the his home. It was chained to a post with a 14 pound, nine foot long logging chain; this chain caused the dog to become tangled around the post.
The dog did not have food or shelter near the post, and ultimately choked itself to death with the chain. A bowl of water was discovered near the animal that appeared to have been recently placed there.
The original complaint was received July 30 and detectives and an animal control officer determined that the dog had been dead for approximately 24 hours.
It was determined that Harris moved out of the Metcalf Road home three weeks prior and left the dog behind.
Temperatures ranged between 95 and 98 degrees on July 29 and July 30.
The animal suffered a large injury to his neck consistent with being chained up and struggling with the tangled chain.
Harris was arrested Aug. 17 for driving with a suspended license. He was released from the Wakulla County Jail on Aug. 19 to face charges of grand theft, petit theft and dealing in stolen property in Leon County. He was incarcerated in the Wakulla County Jail at the time of the investigation.
Leon County has placed a hold on Harris to return to Wakulla County and face the most recent charges.
