Sister claims brother brutally abused puppy in Durham
DURHAM (WTVD) -- A 10-week-old puppy is recovering from severe cuts and bruises after being attacked outside of a Durham convenience store. The attack was caught on security video outside the Joy Food Mart on Roxboro Street.
After seeing the story on ABC11, Charlene Hasley contacted us, claiming that it was her puppy that was stolen and abused and it was her own brother, Charles Hasley, that did it.
She claims she is "100 percent sure" that it was her brother on the surveillance camera footage attacking her puppy named King. She believes he stole King from her backyard.
"I knew he took my dog, but I really didn't have no hard proof," she told ABC11. "And when I seen the video today, I was like 'oh (expletive)! That's my dog!'"
In the footage, a man is seen throwing the pit bull puppy into a store crate and then punching it repeatedly.
At one point, the video shows the suspect strangling the dog. During the beating, the puppy appears to bite its attacker.
But that doesn't end the suspect's abuse. The video shows the man lifting the dog out of the bin and tossing the dog across the concrete. The suspect then throws the pit bull back into the store crate.
Court documents say the dog suffered broken nails, scrape wounds and bleeding from several locations, including its head, mouth, and nose.
In another video frame, the suspect is seen chatting briefly with someone before he eventually walks away (out of frame) carrying the dog by its neck.
When Durham Police arrive, the camera captures a woman rushing over from a nearby business -- in what seems to be her describing the brutal attack.
Police arrested Charles Halsey a short time later. The arrest was not captured on video.
Charles Halsey is charged with animal cruelty and resisting police. He is also charged with felony probation and parole violation.
He is in jail under a $60,000 bond. The 33-year-old's next court appearance is June 8.
Charlene says she spoke to her brother on the phone on Friday after a collect call from jail. She said she asked him why he took her dog but he denied doing it.
"I just want my puppy back," she said. "My main interest is my puppy. [My brother] is a grown man, he will be OK."
The puppy is being treated by a local veterinarian.
