Seaside Heights Man Charged In Beating Death Of Dog

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. (CBS) -- A man has been arrested and charged in the beating death of dog inside a home in Seaside Heights, New Jersey.

Thirty-three-year-old Nicholas Piccolino is facing animal cruelty charges in connection with the death of 10 year-old female Bichon Frise dog, named Booshu, authorities announced Wednesday.

The arrest stems from an animal abuse incident reported on August 19 to the Seaside Heights Police Department.

Investigators say a neighbor in the house upstairs heard several loud banging sounds and a dog yelping in the kitchen below. Shortly after, Piccolino notified the dog's owner that something was wrong with Booshu. Authorities say Booshu's owner found the dog dead on the floor of the bathroom. Piccolino claimed that Booshu "dirtied" herself in her crate and that while he was cleaning her up, he dropped her.

The dog was taken to an animal hospital where she was pronounced dead.

A subsequent necropsy performed on Booshu found that the dog suffered multiple blunt force injuries to her head and body which contributed to her death.

Piccolino was arrested and is now facing third degree charges of torment, torture, unnecessarily or cruelly beat a living animal resulting in their death.

He was being held on $35,000 bail.