Kauai police arrest man, 49, after dog allegedly strangled to death
Kauai police have arrested a 49-year-old man after a dog was allegedly strangled to death and his owner assaulted over the weekend.
Police said at about noon on Sunday, officers responded to a report that a dog had been strangled to death at a Koloa residence.
Based on a preliminary report, a 35-year-old Koloa man was in his residence when he heard a loud noise coming from where his dog was kept outside.
He went out to see what was happening, and found suspect Jason Mearns lifting his dog off the ground by its chain.
Police said according to statements obtained at the scene, an argument between the two followed, and afterward, the 35-year-old dog owner had an abrasion to his left arm, along with multiple scrapes and bruises.
The dog, a 3-year-old terrier mix, was dead when officers arrived at the scene.
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Police arrested Mearns on suspicion of first-degree cruelty to animals and third-degree assault. His bail was set at $20,000.
