Man wanted by police for brutally beating dog

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — On June 20, Indy Humane said it received a hound mix named Maggie with a broken leg.

“The gentleman showed up at our downtown clinic and said ‘my dog has been hit by a car. I don’t know what to do, I need your help.’” said Donna Casamento, CEO of Indy Humane.

Surgeons were able to repair Maggie’s leg, and the owner called to check up on the dog while she was in recovery.

“He even made a generous donation to us to help support the care that we put into her. The police told us the next day after she had been picked up what the situation was,” Casamento said.

It turns out the owner, Robert Cole, beat Maggie severely, punching the dog 11 times.

“Picking up Maggie, slamming her to the ground multiple times, and then stomping on her leg,” said Lieutenant Shane Foley, a public information officer with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Cole is facing a Level 6 felony charge for torturing an animal. The incident was caught on camera by a witness.

“In this case, we are thankful there was a witness who provided information to investigators and there was video as horrible as it may be, but that video was incredibly important,” said Foley.

Maggie is expected to make a full recovery, and is available for adoption.

“She’s such a sweet loving dog, and the idea that someone would do something to her is just foreign to us,” said Casamento.

According to probable cause documents, Cole told detectives he beat Maggie because he lost his temper after the dog chewed on the floor. Cole told police he has an open case in Kokomo and a pending battery case from his roommate.

He is being asked to turn himself into law enforcement.