DETROIT – Police are looking for a man accused of stealing his ex-girlfriend’s dog and torturing it in Detroit.
Investigators say the man then sent a video of the six-pound dog being tortured to his ex.
“It’s horrific to watch,” said Michigan Humane President Matt Pepper. “It’s scary to watch, and again, there are a multitude of victims here.”
Update: AG: Detroit man accused of torturing ex-girlfriend’s dog as part of ongoing abuse will stand trial
Pepper says it’s one of the worst cases of animal abuse that he’s had to watch in a series of videos.
“They repeatedly slam the dogs head into a wall, into drawers,” Pepper said. “They involve beating the dog with objects, all while yelling obscenities directed at the woman. Meanwhile, the dog is a 6-pound dog that can not defend itself.”
Investigators say the abuser is 55-year-old Julius Holley, who stole the Yorkie, tortured it, and then sent the footage to his ex-girlfriend.
“Unfortunately, a gruesome part of this case is after the man was done abusing the dog, he left it on the front porch in a bucket where we were ultimately able to take control of the dog and evaluate it with our veterinary team,” Pepper said. “Right now, its actually in the foster care of one of our lead veterinarians.”
Michigan Humane has become the lead in the investigation. Attorney General Dana Nessel wasted no time in announcing charges for Holley, which can lead to a lot of jail time if convicted.
“One count of second-degree home invasion is a 15-year felony,” said Nessel. “One count of torturing or killing an animal is a 10-year felony. One count of larceny is a four-year felony, and one count of stalking is a one-year-misdemeanor.”
Police are still searching for the Holley. So far, a warrant has been issued for his arrest. Unfortunately, Pepper says it’s a common example of how animals also play a role in domestic violence.
“Up to 40% of women won’t leave a situation because they don’t know what’s going to happen to their pet,” Pepper said. “This is what happens to people’s pets when they’re used in domestic violence.”