Man arrested after dog found dead in Miami Beach

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A man was arrested Thursday after he beat a dog to death in Miami Beach, police said.

Miami Beach police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez said someone called 911 just after 2 p.m. and said that a man was hitting a dog that was outside an apartment building at 1619 Meridian Ave.

Responding officers found the dog dead in the courtyard, Rodriguez said.

Neighbors said the dog, named Lucy, was tied up when she was killed. They said the suspect, Woody Pierre, 20, is the dog's owner. 

"The dog was down pinned in between the fence and this landing, and he was hitting and stomping the dog," a woman who lives at the apartment building said.

Another neighbor said he heard the commotion and witnessed Pierre beating the dog.

Witnesses identified Pierre as the dog's owner, and he was arrested, police said. A small bag of marijuana was found in Pierre's pocket at the time of his arrest. 

After being read his rights, Pierre told police that he kicked Lucy and shoved her into a small space between the fence and the sidewalk, according to an arrest report. 

Pierre also told police that he was angry at Lucy because she pooped in his apartment, the report said. 

He was arrested on charges of animal cruelty with intent to injure or kill and possession of cannabis.