Gainesville Police officers charged a man with animal cruelty after he allegedly beat a four-month-old puppy to death stating he was disciplining it.
On Friday, Meldwige Gregoire, 24, of the 1600 block of SW 47th Terrace, was arrested after a forensic necropsy of the puppy revealed the egregious injuries suffered, which included a fractured femur, six broken ribs, its right eye protruded from the socket, a broken bone above the left eye, severe brain hemorrhage, multiple broken teeth and bruising on the head and back and neck. The puppy died as a result of blunt force, deliberate trauma.
On June 11, Gregoire and his girlfriend adopted the puppy from the Alucha County Animal Services. At the time the puppy was healthy and had no injuries or health issues. Just two days later, Gregoire returned the puppy wrapped in a towel and told Animal Services the puppy had died in its crate. Animal Services officers immediately recognized that the puppy had suffered trauma.
During questioning by police, Gregoire admitted to stepping on the puppy's back and hind legs, kicking it, hitting it in the head with an open hand and slamming it into the wall of the hallway as he pulled the defenseless animal by the leash.
Meldwige Gregoire was taken into custody in Alachua County, Florida and charged.
This was no case of discipline. It was the work of a violent, and sadistic personality who will re-offend and escalate his violence until he kills a person, is caught, and put in jail. Urge officials to see this as the red flag it is and take this violent act seriously and punish him to the full extent of the law.
