DADE COUNTY (WRCB)-- In Dade County, a man is accused of beating a puppy over the head with a hammer.
Neighbors say he's been violent towards them.
Jackie burns is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals.
Neighbors say they watched him violently kill a tow-month-old puppy that had wandered into his yard.
Two puppies are from the same litter were surrendered to the Tri-County Humane Society Friday morning by the young girl who was raising them.
Her step-father told us she wasn't home when this happened Wednesday and noticed Thursday one of the puppies was missing.
After talking to her neighbors she found the remains of her pet in a brushy area near burns home.
"He's a nice guy as long as he ain't sniffing gas and drinking and when he gets on that he'll get out here boxing the side of his house and boxing this tree there and he fell in the road a couple of times when he's on it and he just scares me," says neighbor Edna Tate.
Deputies tell me burns has numerous prior arrests in Dade County. This is the first time he's been charged with animal cruelty. The two puppies surrendered Friday are up for adoption through the Tri-County Humane Society.
Tri-County Humane Society: 423-596-9977
423-505-1714