PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – A St. Petersburg man is facing felony charges after Pinellas County deputies say he brutally attacked and killed a small dog during a domestic dispute on Saturday afternoon.
The incident unfolded around 2:56 p.m. on March 14, 2026, when deputies were called to a home at 5235 78th Street North. While the initial call was for a verbal domestic disturbance, arriving officers discovered the body of a 7-year-old Chihuahua mix named Sheba lying outside the residence.
According to investigators, the violence began because 35-year-old Christopher Howard did not want the dog in his bedroom.
When Sheba entered the restricted room, Howard allegedly kicked the dog across the floor. Deputies say the situation escalated as Howard picked the animal up by its neck and threw it toward the front door. He then reportedly used a chair to strike the dog across the neck and back with force.
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After the physical assault, Howard allegedly picked Sheba up by the neck a final time and dropped her on the ground outside the home, where she was later found deceased.
Howard was taken into custody at the scene without further incident. He has been charged with one count of Felony Cruelty to Animals and was booked into the Pinellas County Jail.
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