Francisco Castillo Cruz is charged with cruelty to livestock, according to the Liberty County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said a witness called 911 about 10:30 a.m. to report that he saw the horse owner allegedly dragging the black-and-white Shetland pony behind a red pickup on County Road 6021.
The caller said each time the small horse fell down, the owner would stop, get out of the truck and beat the animal on the head with a belt and buckle. Then the man would get back into the pickup and continue driving, dragging the pony.
Deputies said they were dispatched to the scene and found Cruz at his home in the 100 block of County Road 6023 just outside of Dayton. When they looked at the 5-year-old pony they found that much of its hair and skin on the left side had been scraped off. They also found its left eye severely injured and its hooves damaged.
Deputies said Cruz told them he was "mad" because the pony got out of its stall and wandered off his property. Cruz was arrested and charged.
The horse was turned over to the Houston SPCA for medical treatment and is expected to survive.
A hearing is scheduled on May 13 to determine if the pony should be returned to Cruz.
(Houston Chronicle - May 8, 2014)
