Bedford man charged with animal cruelty after video appears to show him lifting dog by leash
By Ricky Podgorski
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MANCHESTER, N.H. (WMUR) — A Bedford man is facing animal cruelty charges after he allegedly lifted a small dog by its neck with a leash several times at an airport in Sarasota, Florida.
Peter LeBlanc, 59, of Bedford, was arrested July 1 and charged with aggravated animal cruelty.
Surveillance video appears to show LeBlanc yanking the dog around and lifting it several feet off the ground by its leash. According to court documents, the dog was wearing a choke collar.
Officers can be seen on the video approaching LeBlanc after several witnesses reported that an animal cruelty incident was happening.
LeBlanc was physically restrained by an officer after allegedly refusing to release the dog despite orders to do so. According to a police affidavit, LeBlanc said the dog bit him several times, and that if he released the leash, he would be bitten again. Officers reported that LeBlanc’s hand was bleeding.
According to documents, LeBlanc continued to shout at the officers, paramedics and witnesses.
After LeBlanc was arrested, the dog was released to his wife, and police said in an affidavit that the dog immediately calmed down and left the airport without any other problems.
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