Caught on video, man charged with two counts animal cruelty after beating pup and elderly dog

On Wednesday, Sheriff Kevin Rambosk with Florida’s Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) praised detectives for their work in arresting a previously convicted felon who was caught on camera beating and punching a young dog and whose abuse led to an elderly dog having to be put down.

“I am proud to say due to the diligence and commitment of the hardworking detectives of our Animal Cruelty Investigations Alliance this individual is in jail for these horrible acts of violence,” Sheriff Rambosk said. “In Collier County, if you abuse an animal you are absolutely going to jail.”

Joshua David Lewis, 35, of Calusa Drive in Chokoloskee, faces two counts of animal cruelty in connection with a beating and punching incident last year involving a one-year-old Labradoodle named Charlie, and a separate incident in 2021 involving an 18-year-old Maltese named Cocoa.

Detectives said that on April 29, 2021, Lewis threw Cocoa, the Maltese, out in the yard after the senior dog, which was ill with cancer, defecated in the house. Lewis then tried to retrieve Cocoa to bring the dog inside but the animal ran away and tried to bite him when he got close. When Lewis eventually got Cocoa he threw the dog on the deck, leaving it in the heat. Cocoa’s owner found the dog covered in dirt and barely able to move. Two days later the owner took Cocoa to a veterinarian and had to put the dog to sleep due to its injuries and condition.

The other incident occurred Nov. 30, 2022, when Lewis was left alone with Charlie, the young Labradoodle. The dog’s owner, who was out of town, watched via home security camera as Lewis repeatedly punched Charlie in the head and face with his fist and then beat the dog with a leash.

The owner told detectives she immediately returned to the house to retrieve Charlie. She said she confronted Lewis about what she saw on the video and that he admitted to beating Charlie and told her his anger got the best of him, arrest reports said.

Through their investigation, detectives established probable cause for Lewis’ arrest. Deputies located Lewis, who is a Florida convicted felon, at his workplace 0n January 18 and took him into custody on the felony charges.

(Source and Joshua David Lewis booking photo, CCSO)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today   /   Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram