‘He basically used the dog as a soccer ball’: Police say man tied up, beat Chihuahua

A 28-year-old man was charged Tuesday with felony animal cruelty after authorities say he beat a Santa Ana family’s missing Chihuahua and used wires to tie up the dog.

Jose Manuel Pantoja, who police say is homeless, has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Officers arrested Pantoja on Sunday morning after a woman called police to report that a small dog was being abused behind businesses in a shopping center on East First Street in Santa Ana.

Police said the woman told dispatchers she was taking out the trash when she noticed that a man had used wires to tie a small dog’s legs and was kicking the animal repeatedly. When officers arrived, they found Pantoja standing over a small brown dog.

“He basically used the dog as a soccer ball,” Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

The dog, who authorities later learned is a 10-year-old Chihuahua named Max, had a bungee cord wrapped around his throat and chest. His legs were bound with electrical wire, and he was injured, police said.

Officers took him to the Orange County Emergency Pet Clinic for treatment. Pantoja told officers the dog did not belong to him and was just “following him around,” police said.

On Monday, officers found Max’s owners, who told them that he had escaped from their yard a day earlier through an open gate. The family searched through the night but couldn’t find their beloved pet. Max has lived with the family since he was a puppy.

Max is expected to recover from his injuries, and was reunited Tuesday with his owner, Stephany Chavez. The dog’s tail immediately began to wag as Chavez rubbed his belly.

“I didn’t think I would see him again, but here he is,” Chavez told reporters. “I’m just glad he’s OK and he’s not any worse than this.”

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @Hannahnfry