Police say a man fatally stabbed his dog after poisoning it with fentanyl.
A Massachusetts man was arrested Wednesday after allegedly killing his dog in Kingston.
Police responded to a 911 call at The Point at Kingston, an apartment complex on Kingston Collection Way, shortly after 1 p.m. A caller had reported hearing noises including shuffling and a dog whining, followed by silence.
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Investigators found the body of the dog, a 60-pound bull-terrier mix, with stab wounds.
Authorities arrested 44-year-old Jonathan Paluzzi of Kingston on multiple felony counts of animal cruelty and a charge of possession of a Class A drug. Police say he is known to law enforcement in the area.
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Paluzzi is accused of initially trying to get someone to take or euthanize the healthy dog, named Brutus.
After this failed, police say Paluzzi obtained fentanyl Tuesday and tried to poison the dog Wednesday afternoon.
This was also unsuccessful, and Paluzzi allegedly stabbed the dog to death before leaving the apartment. Police believe he used a set of bent grill prongs.
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Police say they arrested Paluzzi after he returned to the apartment.
"It sounds like he intended on giving the dog away, trying to give it to a shelter. He also apparently had tried to get it euthanized, but no one would euthanize it because it was healthy," said Kingston Police Det. Lt. Michael Skowyra. "For one reason or another, he wanted to get rid of the dog, and then apparently decided the best way to do that was to kill it."
Paluzzi is expected to be arraigned Thursday at Plymouth District Court. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.
