Authorities in the United States have claimed that a guy fried his own pet chihuahua alive in an oven, shocking a tiny village in Alabama.
After what authorities say is one of the most upsetting instances of torture they have ever seen, James Williamson, 44, of Atmore, close to the Florida border, has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty.
Investigators said the incident happened last Monday after Williamson and a family member got into a furious dispute. He allegedly threatened to hurt the dog if it didn’t stop barking during the argument.
Williamson allegedly carried out the threat by putting the tiny puppy in a hot oven and then blocking the entrance with a chair to keep the animal from getting out.
Later, neighbors claimed to have heard cries and unpleasant yelps coming from within the house. The noises had stopped by the time the police showed up. On the driveway, officers found the dog’s burnt remains.
Atmore Police Department Sergeant Darrell McMann, who also has a chihuahua, called the incident “horrible and inhumane,” stating that it put a great strain on his emotional stability.
“When I got there, I was just at a loss for words,” McMann told Newsmen. “This was someone’s pet — a small, trusting, defenseless life — and it was tortured.”
Williamson was immediately taken into custody and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a Class C felony under Alabama law, with a $15,000 bond. If found guilty, Williamson will not be allowed to own animals in the future, but McMann feels that the current legislation does not go far enough.
The discovery of the dog’s charred body on Dogwood Drive shocked the neighborhood and sparked widespread outrage on social media.