State will prosecute man who attacked his dog

In an update to a previous Historic City News article regarding a horrific incident of animal cruelty, Public Information Officer Klare Ly announced that State Attorney R.J. Larizza is prosecuting 28-year-old Randal Bryan Hart.

Witnesses reported that Hart, who resides at 8450 CR-13 North in St Johns County, stabbed his dog, Amber, with a knife and slashed her throat before dragging the animal into the woods to die.

It took officers about 45 minutes to locate the dog in a grassy area near the home. The dog was in obvious distress, but still alive. The Animal Control Officer transported the dog to the veterinarian.

A week after the incident, Amber was strong enough to leave the veterinary hospital to finish her recovery in a new home with her new family, the Sorrells.

Deputy Dan Sorrells was one of the deputies who responded to a call. When he asked Hart why he stabbed his dog, Hart responded that the dog bit a kitten and needed to be “put down”. Following up on Hart’s statement, Sorrells was able to locate the kitten — it was playing with another dog on the property. No injuries to the kitten were observed.

Hart, facing a third-degree felony, remains in custody in lieu of $5000.00 bond. His court date has not yet been set.

In the meantime, Amber’s future safety is assured — Deputy Sorrells and his family have adopted Amber, who has her own facebook page.