Dog dragged by car survives

CLEVELAND -- Police say a neighbor wanted to punish the animal for biting his dog.

Tamnika Spencer was broiling ribs in front of the Cleveland Deli at East 64th and St. Clair when she heard a dog crying out in pain. She was stunned when she saw a brown Akita, leashed to a Crown Victoria, being dragged down the road.

Spencer said the suspect "turned with the dog near the back of his car. And the dog was just screaming and hollering, screaming and hollering."

Co-worker, Tabatha Solomon came running outside and saw the suspect stop his car.

She told Channel 3's Mike O'Mara that the driver "rolled the window down and Tamnika said "you are killing the dog!". And he responded, 'is he dead yet?'"

Amazingly, the 2 year old Akita survived the disturbing case of animal cruelty. Known at the Cleveland Kennel simply as "dog 96", he has been remarkably docile and likes to kiss Renee, the vet technician.

Police say a few minutes after leaving the dog for dead, the suspect drove back around the block. That's when the eyewitnesses spotted him and told police who quickly collared 41 year old, Eric Jackson.

The suspect's wife claims her husband wasn't trying to harm the dog. Instead, she says Jackson was trying to get rid of the dog after it attacked their own animal and scared their children.

Deloria Carter said, "No, he was not being cruel. The only thing he was thinking was I got to get this dog away from these kids before he bites them or bites someone".

Cuyahoga County Humane Officer, Jed Mignano, disagrees.

"This is barbaric", said Mignano. "For somebody to take an animal and drag it by the bumper of their car to punish it for attacking another animal is terribly cruel."

Tamnika Spencer is still amazed that the driver showed no remorse. Instead, all he said to her was, "'Is he dead?' Then he took off".

We're happy to report that Akita "number 96" is very much alive. And now the big dog is looking for somebody to take him to a new home.