Police say man repeatedly beat a dog in South Huntingdon home

A man is behind bars after, state police said, he repeatedly beat a dog in South Huntingdon and recorded videos of the abuse.

Zachary Robert Hixson, 30, is charged with neglect and two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals.

Troopers were called Friday to a home just outside West Newton where the dog’s owner reported the health of her shih tzu named Snickers had been declining during the past couple of months that Hixson was living there, according to court papers. The dog had been unable to walk for a few days. Police said it appeared the canine, which was lying on a cushion, didn’t have use of its legs.

The dog’s owner provided investigators with a cellphone she purchased for Hixson. On it were videos of Hixson beating the dog with his hands and objects, holding a lit cigarette to the animal’s eye and holding it by its tail and allowing it to fall to the ground, according to court papers.

Police said he sent text messages that indicated he was going to kill the canine. Hixson told police he assaulted the animal and repeatedly spit in the direction of troopers during his arrest, according to court papers.

The dog’s status after Hixson’s arrest was unclear from court papers. Investigators did not return a message.

Hixson’s bail was set at $50,000. He was being held at the Westmoreland County Prison. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 7.

Hixson was arrested in April and apparently was released from the jail at some point after being sentenced in June to up to 23 months on two terroristic threats charges in connection with an incident in Arona. Court records did not say when he was released.