A Charlotte County man’s been arrested for a cruel and unusual crime against an animal. CCSO Deputies say 61-year-old Thomas Hoeckel tied a cinderblock to his dog’s harness and threw him into the Gulf of Mexico. The helpless dog was swept ashore a Don Pedro Island beach just two days after he was reported missing by one of the owners. NBC2 reports officials believe a domestic issue led to the incident.
Hoeckel had been fighting with his wife, who reported the dog missing. No one answered the door at the couple’s Englewood home. Investigators say his wife moved out.
