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Police: Broward County dog thrown in pool during domestic dispute, drowns

Posted at 8:31 AM, Oct 19, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-19 11:28:53-04

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. (AP) — Police in Broward County say a disabled Chihuahua drowned when a man tossed it into a backyard swimming pool while fighting with his ex-wife.

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Pembroke Pines police say 40-year-old Juan Manuel Gonzalez grabbed the woman by the face, cutting her lip during a dispute on Thursday night.

A police report quotes Gonzalez as saying "you can't swim but you're going to learn tonight," just before throwing the dog in the pool. The report didn't describe the dog's disability. The woman told officers she could hear the dog crying before drowning.

The SunSentinel reports Gonzalez denied hurting his ex-wife but admitted throwing the dog in the pool.

Police named Gonzalez the "primary" aggressor in the dispute. He's facing domestic violence and animal cruelty charges. It's not known whether he has a lawyer.