NORMAN, Okla. – A bystander stepped in when he saw a man allegedly beating his dog in the street.
Robert Wilson was driving when he saw Dennis Ross and his dog in the middle of a neighborhood in Norman, Oklahoma.
“The guy had the dog by the collar, and he hit it a couple times,” Wilson told KFOR.
He had to do something about it.
“I stopped, rolled my window down, said, ‘Dude, dude, what are you doing? Let go of the dog! Let go of the dog!’” he said.
Ross wouldn’t stop, beating and choking what Wilson described to be a large mixed breed dog.
“He was mad. He said ‘Dog’s got out. I’m going to beat it, going to whip its butt,’” Wilson said. “He had the dog up. I said ‘You need to let it breathe! At least let it breathe!’”
That’s when Wilson decided it was time to call the police.
“I was on 911, saying, ‘Dude, he’s going to kill the dog right here in front of me,’” Wilson said. “‘This can’t happen.’”
Wilson refused to give up, especially after he said he saw Ross choke the dog unconscious.
“It was limp. He was carrying the dog, kind of dragging it’s back legs,” Wilson said. “He carried it a full block. He was dragging, and I was like ‘Let him down! Let him breathe!’”
Wilson even offered to take the dog home with him, but he said Ross ignored him.
When investigators arrived, police said Ross wouldn’t cooperate, refusing to speak with them or follow their orders. He was arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty and obstructing justice.
The dog is expected to be okay. He was taken from Ross’ ownership pending the outcome of the case.
“It was ugly,” Wilson said. “I was like, man, don’t do that in front of me, I love dogs like crazy.”