Puppy Severely Beaten for Eating Pillow, Deputies Say

When a 26-year-old Sarasota man came home from working a 12-hour restaurant shift on Monday, the discovery that his 9-month-old terrier mix puppy had torn up a pillow sent him into a rage, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

The man “lost it,” he later told deputies, throwing the dog onto her back, penning her between his legs and then striking her with both fists, a probable cause affidavit states. At 5 a.m. Wednesday morning, the man brought the puppy, named Sugar, to a critical care veterinary clinic for assistance.

Vet staff notified the sheriff’s office after assessing Sugar’s condition and being told by the owner that he struck the puppy, the report stated. “The dog was in critical respiratory distress, suffering from internal injuries from a severe traumatic incident,” the report said.

While Sugar is alive, the road to recovery will be a long one for the 14-pound critter, the sheriff’s office wrote in an email to media.

Her owner, Stephen Thompson, now faces cruelty to animals with injury charges. He was booked into the Sarasota County Jail and was later released on $1,500 bond.

Post arrest, Thompson told deputies Sugar had chewed up an accent pillow from his girlfriend’s couch, the affidavit stated.

Deputies also noted Thompson had bite wounds on the top of his hands and on his knuckles. Deputies did say he was cooperative and remorseful. Thompson relinquished custody of Sugar.

Photos courtesy of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office