May 11, 2011

UPDATE

A domestic dispute ended in animal abuse, according to Wichita Police, after a man fed a family's pet parakeet to a pit bull.

The man's wife says it all started when her husband came home drunk, and a fight broke out. That's when police say he apparently hurt the bird in retaliation.

"When he got the bird, he bent his wings backwards so he couldn't fly, and that's when the dog came around and that's when he basically just gave it to him," said Yolanda Bencomo, the suspect's wife.

Bencomo says she couldn't believe what was happening when her husband apparently broke her pet parakeet's wings, then gave it to her nephew's pit bull, who killed it.

"It's just like shocking you know, we never thought he was like that," said Bencomo.

She says it's especially shocking since her husband is the one who adopted the bird. He had just bought it for her four children about a month ago.

"We never though he was like that. So now we've seen that he could do that to an animal, imagine what he can do to a human being," said Bencomo.

When Wichita Police arrived to the home, on the 3100 block of S. Davidson, they arrested the 30-year-old man for animal cruelty.

"Obviously this is unacceptable behavior," said Wichita Police Lt. Doug Nolte.

Especially since Bencomo says her kids, ranging from 10 years old to 14 years old, were watching when it happened.

"They were all out here watching, they were crying," said Bencomo.

It all stemmed from an argument, according to Bencomo, after her husband came home drunk. It's something she says he's done before, but this time was different.

"Last night he went too far," said Bencomo.

Bencomo says there was also another parakeet in the cage, which escaped. She says she's still hoping it will come back.

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A Wichita man faces animal cruelty charges after police said he fed a pet bird to a pit bull.

Police responded to the 3100 block of South Davidson before 10:00 p.m. Tuesday.

Officers said a 32-year-old man came home and got into an argument with a woman who also lived in the home. The woman called 911.

Before officers arrived, the woman claims the man took a pet parakeet, broke its wing, threw the bird in the air and allowed a pit bull terrier to attack it.

The man was arrested for animal cruelty.

Four children were in the home at the time of the incident.