INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Florida Man Bit Dog And Squeezed Its Eye Out Of Its Socket

By Chelsea Hoffman
Published on: 07:52 PST, Nov 5, 2015

A Florida man has been convicted of felony animal cruelty after he committed a grisly assault on a small dog that belongs to his mother. The New York Post reports that 37-year-old David Etzel is facing jail time for his actions, which were incredibly violent, but is his punishment really enough?

The incident reportedly took place back in April. Etzel had been drinking at his mother’s home, where he had also been living at the time. However, during the course of his drinking, he decided to pick on his mother’s dog, a small Shih Tzu. However, the dog wasn’t having any of this, and like small dogs are known to do, he nipped at Etzel.

David Etzel reportedly flew into a rage after the dog, named Cujo, nipped at him. According to reports, the man savagely bit the dog, chomping down hard on the poor little pooch while strangling him at the same time. While he was strangling the dog, he squeezed it so hard that one of the animal’s eyeballs popped out of the socket. Needless to say, Etzel’s mother (the dog’s owner) was horrified.

The pup was rushed to his veterinarian, where his eye was reinserted into the socket. However, Cujo will be blind for the rest of his life as a result of the attack he survived. The vet has declared that the injuries the animal suffered during the attack were so severe that it looked like he had been run over by a car. In other words, Cujo is very fortunate to be alive after what he experienced.

The Palm Beach Post reports that the Florida man may only serve a year in prison for his crime. This is a possibility that has people on social media angered, not to mention that they’re already outraged at the crime the man committed against the helpless, small animal. Meanwhile, David’s mother has expressed gratitude with the jury, who only took about an hour to deliberate on his guilt.

“I’m happy he was held accountable for what he did to my dog. My son needs alcohol treatment, and he needs anger management treatment.”

News surrounding animal cruelty cases tend to pick up a lot of attention on social media, where animal rights activists and advocates for the better treatment of pets gather in large numbers. Stories like this one get a lot of negative attention, especially when mugshots of the perpetrators are available. The Florida man in this latest story certainly does not have a fan club, thanks to his violent actions against a tiny dog that couldn’t have ever done near as much damage to him as he did to it.

This is also not the only animal cruelty story out of Florida in recent years. Earlier this year, two Florida women (an elderly woman and her 41-year-old daughter) were arrested on numerous animal cruelty charges associated with what appeared to be animal hoarding. Authorities found more than a dozen emaciated and mistreated animals on the property inhabited by the two women, which included 13 cats, 4 dogs, 10 rabbits, and an assortment of other animals — most of which were dying from lack of food and improper treatment. Detectives also found totes containing the “liquefied” remains of other animals on the property.

Also this year in Florida, six people were arrested on horrific animal cruelty charges that involved the illegal use of horsemeat for human consumption. During a raid of the property, at least 750 animals were rescued from the premises. Neighbors in the area complained about the property, claiming that they could always hear animals screaming and smell the stench of death in the air, which included the odor of burning flesh and hair.

[Photo: Palm Beach County police mugshot]

Share this article: Florida Man Bit Dog And Squeezed Its Eye Out Of Its Socket
More from Inquisitr