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Prince George's County resident Adriano Demorais, 33, was arrested on Tuesday and arraigned on an indictment charging him with felony animal cruelty to animals for an incident reported in February.
According to prosecutors, on Friday, Feb. 16, Demorais was working overnight at the District Dogs Navy Yard location feeding dogs, when Bronny, a Mountain Cur/German Shepherd mix inside the facility walked toward him.
It is alleged that Demorais "forcefully" kicked the puppy in its stomach, sending it circling around the room before collapsing seconds later.
Bronny was taken to an area vet, where the dog was pronounced dead.
A necropsy report confirmed that Bronny’s cause of death was blunt abdominal trauma with subsequent hemorrhagic shock.
Prosecutors say that Demorais later admitted to striking the dog, "claiming he kicked Bronny out of frustration over Bronny becoming too energetic while Demorais was trying to feed dogs."
The subsequent claiming he kicked Bronny out of frustration over Bronny becoming too energetic while Demorais was trying to feed dogs
If convicted, Demorais faces a maximum term of five years in prison.
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