This is the moment a cruel dog owner is filmed hitting a whimpering Yorkshire Terrier and the poor pooch has now been rescued.
The incident took place in the city of Loures located just to the north of the Portuguese capital Lisbon and was recorded by an onlooker.
In the video, the man, who has not been identified but is said to be between 40 and 45 years old, can be seen repeatedly hitting the dog which begins whimpering.
Credit: Newsflash/@disguisedcolors
The man grabs the Yorkshire Terrier by the scruff of its neck and continues hitting before the clip ends.
Local police say they went to the scene after receiving a complaint of animal cruelty and seeing the video on social media.
The suspect reportedly told officers the dog was not his but belonged to his niece who was out of the country and he was looking after it while she was away.
As he did not have the documentation for the dog, officers took the pooch away to a local shelter called Loures Official Collection Centre, with the owner being told to pick the pooch up from there.
The suspect is under investigation for committing “violence against animals” but it is unclear if he has been charged. The dog did not have signs of injuries when it was rescued, according to reports.
The investigation is ongoing.
The person hitting the dog 
The person hitting the dog
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Alex Cope, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
