A Fort Myers man was arrested Monday after he allegedly threw a Chihuahua off a third-floor apartment balcony during a fight with the dog's owner.
According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to Blue Pearl Animal Hospital located at 9500 Marketplace Road on Sunday morning.
A veterinarian told deputies that a man had brought his seven-year-old Chihuahua, Raven, to the hospital with serious injuries. The dog had an open fracture to her left front leg, abrasions to the chest and a possible mandible fracture.
The dog owner said he had gotten into a fight with a man, later identified as Dalton Sousa, 30, while they were drinking at an apartment on Winkler Avenue.
During the altercation, Sousa reportedly grabbed Raven and threw the dog off the third-floor balcony "like a football".
The dog owner said he didn't have money for Raven's medical expenses and left the hospital before deputies arrived.
On Monday, a detective located the dog owner driving an SUV at Laura Street and Alderman Street. He agreed to talk about what had happened the night before, mentioning that he had gone to a friend's house on Winkler Avenue where Sousa and another man were.
The dog owner said he was drinking and tried to leave the apartment but realized he didn't have Raven after getting into a fight with Sousa. That's when he said Sousa tossed Raven off the balcony and onto the sidewalk. The dog owner gave deputies Sousa's information and they were able to locate and detain him at his apartment.
Sousa faces a charge of aggravated animal cruelty. He remains in the Lee County Jail.
According to the report, Raven is awaiting surgery and is expected to make a full recovery at this time.