More information about a 4-pound Yorkie’s death is detailed in a court document charging a man with aggravated animal cruelty.
Dustin Ricky Harrell, 21, 1178 Old Stage Road, Jonesborough, was arraigned on the charge late Monday afternoon in Washington County Sessions Court. A court document details how Harrell allegedly repeatedly tortured, then comforted, the family dog named Honey. At one point during the torture, Harrell told investigators that he went to his computer to looked up “dog in the dryer” after he had put the Yorkie, named Honey, in the clothes dryer. An investigator said the torture occurred over a four-hour period.
The miniature dog’s death was reported by Harrell’s father on Nov. 3, apparently after he found the dog dead.
Harrell told Washington County Sheriff’s Investigator Jeff Miller that he first threw the dog down the stairs at his house, then comforted it, then threw it down the stairs several more times.
“He later filled the bathtub up with water and held the dog under the water for approximately 20 seconds at a time” and did this three times, Miller wrote in the court record.
After the bathtub incident, Harrell said he dried the dog off with a towel, then put the dog in the clothes dryer — with nothing else in it — and turned the machine on for four minutes.
That’s when Harrell told investigators he looked up “dog in the dryer” on the computer. After that, Harrell threw the dog down another time, which broke the Yorkie’s leg.
That injury caused Honey to cry in pain, so Harrell used painter’s tape around the dog’s mouth to keep her quiet and used an Icy Hot sleeve on the dog’s broken leg.
When the Yorkie stopped crying, Harrell told police he removed the tape and the dog began bleeding from the mouth. Harrell said he held Honey and she died in his arms.
When Harrell was arrested on Friday, he was given a $10,000 bond — the highest a court clerk was able to assign — but during his arraignment Monday, Judge James Nidiffer doubled the bond to $20,000.
Harrell is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Monday at 1:30 p.m. in Washington County Sessions Court.
Article Title
etails of alleged cruelty releasedWritten by:Becky Campbell
Published:Published November 21, 2011 By Becky Campbell - Press Staff WriterLast updated:Published November 21, 2011 By Becky Campbell - Press Staff Writer
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