INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man was recently charged in Marion County for knowingly torturing or mutilating a tri-colored hound mix in mid-June.
According to an affidavit for probable cause, filed on Monday in Marion County, Robert Cole was charged for one count of torturing or mutilating a vertebrate animal, a Level 6 felony, in relation to an incident reportedly filmed on June 21 at a home on the near west side of Indianapolis.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is currently looking for Cole, according to a news release. Anyone with knowledge of Cole’s whereabouts is asked to call 911 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (317) 262-TIPS.
The affidavit states that a man, who reportedly lived with Cole and his father, provided a video to Indianapolis Animal Care Services showing a man beating a dog named Maggie. The video goes on to show the man “punching a dog several times and then picking the dog off the ground and slamming it to the floor of a residence. (The man) then used his right leg to stomp on the rear leg of the dog.”
The affidavit claims that Cole’s father told police that the dog got out of the house and was hit by a car. After the incident, the affidavit reports that the dog was taken to Indy Humane, who confirmed with police that the dog was brought to them on June 20 for a broken leg treatment.
“Robert (Cole) stated that (the) dog had been struck by a car and he didn’t have the funds to pay for a veterinary bill,” the affidavit read. “The dog was treated and Robert (Cole) returned on (July 5) and the dog was given back to him.”
Police then submitted a search warrant to remove the dog from Cole’s home. The affidavit said that the injuries to the dog, as well as the incident showed on video, made police believe that it was the same dog that was confiscated from the home.
Cole contacted police in relation to the dog’s whereabouts. When Cole talked with police, officials reportedly told him that the dog had been taken “pursuant to a search warrant because of a video showing him beating the dog.”
“Cole immediately stated that he had lost his temper because she had chewed on the floor and he did actually do what (was) observed in the video,” the affidavit reads. “(Cole) however, stated that he didn’t break her leg and was insistent that the injury was caused by the dog getting struck by a vehicle.”
According to court documents, Cole also has a pending battery misdemeanor in the Marion Superior Court that was filed on June 26.
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