Police arrested a man Wednesday after surveillance footage caught him kicking a small dog while walking down a street in Venice Beach.
Michael Langman, 39, walked up to a 15-year-old Yorkie named Bart and kicked him into the blades of a nearby tractor, FOX 11 Los Angeles reported. Langman is believed to be homeless, according to the outlet.
A tiny dog is seriously hurt after a stranger gave him a hard kick in front of multiple witnesses in Venice. https://t.co/cVbJhfUTnM
— FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) June 17, 2023
Bart’s owner, Laura Michele Rosenfeld, reportedly ran to him when she realized what had happened and a good Samaritan also came over to help revive him. (RELATED: Family Dog Shot In The Head With Arrow)
The dog was taken to a local animal hospital, where he is still under veterinary care for a traumatic brain injury that is making it difficult for him to stand, ABC 7 reported.
“He’s not walking. He will not stand on either his front or hind legs. One of his eyes looks very not right and his nose is is pushed to the side,” Rosenfeld told FOX 11.
“From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank everyone for helping me save my doggie. He has a very long road of recovery ahead but I will be with him every step of the way and I’m touched by the amount of support,” Rosenfeld said in a GoFundMe page for Bart.
Langman has also been accused of assault by hitting another person over the head with a bottle before police detained him, ABC7 reported. Witnesses chased Langman and caught him until police arrived to take him into custody, according to FOX 11.
Langman was being held at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Inmate Reception Center, according to sheriff’s booking records cited by the outlet.