Animal rights groups demonstrated outside the New Britain Superior Courthouse Thursday as a man accused of beating a dog went before a judge to answer to animal cruelty charges.
New Britain Police arrested Christopher Vantull, the owner of a pit bull named Socks, in July. They say he caused multiple fractures on the dog’s body.
Socks is now at the Animal Haven shelter in North Haven. Shelter manager Michelle DeRose said he is doing well.
“He’s fantastic,” said DeRosa. “He’s doing really well right now. everybody really loves him.”
She said he has come a long way since he first arrived there in April.
“His whole head was deformed and his back was like humped from all the hitting that he had done,” she said.
Officers were called to a home on Bassett Street in April after getting a report of a verbal domestic incident involving Vantull and another tenant, police said.
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The tenant was upset that Vantull was allowing Socks to urinate and defecate inside the home, officers added.
Police at the scene said no action was taken at that time, however, they noticed the dog cowered when Vantull came near it.
“They’re part of our family, they are innocent, defenseless, voiceless, beings, somebody has to be on their side,” said Linda Pleva, vice president of animal rights group, Desmond’s Army. “This dog had some serious damage done to him. He’s affected for the rest of his life I would love to just hold the dog and baby their dog for the rest of his life.”
NBC Connecticut made multiple attempts to contact Vantull and his attorney but we have not heard back.
