CLERMONT, Florida—A Clermont man is facing a charge of aggravated animal cruelty after allegedly beating his girlfriend’s dog to death with a red and gold baseball bat, according to an arrest affidavit.
Clermont Police Department responded to a home on Hurston Watch Lane shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday in reference to a dog being beaten to death and when officers arrived, a pair of brothers were waiting and one of them told police when he arrived home, his mother told him their dog, Finnley, bit her boyfriend, Brian Keith Rumler. He said Rumler hit the dog in the head with a bat, causing him to die. They told CPD Finnley had bitten their mother in the past and becomes territorial when someone would go near his food or try to pet him while he was sleeping.
Their mother, who was crying and asking police not to take Rumler, 62, to jail, said she did not see Finnley bite Rumler, but the dog was extremely violent and had bitten her before, leaving a scar.
Rumler told CPD Finnley bit his hand and had a history of being aggressive towards him, including a bite that required six stitches in May. He did not report that incident, he told police, because he had just started dating his girlfriend the month before. However, he gave conflicting statements to Animal Services when they interviewed him, the arresting officer noted in the affidavit.
Rumler claimed he was sitting on the couch when Finnley came up to him, bit him and walked off. Rumler then went to the garage with Finnley following behind, grabbed a red and gold baseball bat and struck Finnley in the head, killing him. Rumley then wrapped the dog’s body in a blue tarp.
After speaking with Animal Services, they determined Rumler was not acting in self defense and was taken into custody and arrested for aggravated animal cruelty. He was transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was released on $2,000 bond.
