Texas man accused of stabbing dog with hunting knife, breaking off its teeth with pliers

A Texas man was arrested Friday on suspicion of stabbing his girlfriend’s dog with a 6-inch hunting knife and breaking off the animal’s teeth with pliers.

Vernon Ortiz, 40, of San Antonio, has been charged with animal cruelty to include torture, which is a third-degree felony. He allegedly attacked the dachshund mix named Cosmo after the pet urinated on his bed, officials said. 

"As we did the investigation, we found the 40-year-old suspect, it appears, had assaulted the animal with a 6-inch hunting knife," said Shannon Sims, assistant director for San Antonio’s Animal Care Services, according to KENS-TV. "In addition to that, he had also used pliers to break off the canines of the animal to keep it from biting him." 

Sims described Cosmo as a "docile animal," the station reported. 

San Antonio police were called to a home on August 2 when they found the dog with facial wounds and problems with its teeth, Simms said. An ensuing investigation revealed that the dog had broken teeth.  

During the investigation, Ortiz confessed to stabbing the dog, Fox 29 San Antonio reported

Officials said the dog has been treated by veterinarians. He is now recovering and back with his owner, Ortiz’s girlfriend.

If convicted, Ortiz could face up to 10 years in jail and up to $10,000 in fines, according to Fox 29.  

Sims said ACS files at least 100 cases of animal cruelty in the San Antonio area every year, KSAT-TV reported.

This story was reported from Los Angeles.