Trending: Police Officer Charged With Beating Puppy to Death in Maryland

By Mary Ann Barton

Silver Spring, Maryland – A Baltimore City police officer was arrested Wednesday and charged with beating his girlfriend's puppy to death.

Officers from the Montgomery County Police-Animal Services Division on Wednesday arrested Alec Eugene Taylor, 27, of Silver Spring, for intentionally and cruelly killing a seven-month-old puppy. Taylor is being charged with aggravated animal cruelty and abuse or neglect of an animal.

Last Friday, at approximately 11:10 a.m., police officers and animal services officers were called to a residence in the 13800 block of Castle Boulevard in Silver Spring. The complainant, Taylor’s girlfriend, said Taylor had beaten and killed their seven-month-old Jack Russell Terrier named Rocko.

An investigation revealed that on Feb. 26 at approximately 4:30 p.m., the Taylor's girlfriend received a text from Taylor stating that the dog, Rocko, had defecated on the carpet and that Taylor had killed the dog; Taylor also texted a photograph of what appeared to be a lifeless dog.  

In a follow-up phone call between the woman and Taylor, Taylor said that he was tired of cleaning up after the dog and that he had beaten the dog with a mop.

During the investigation, Animal Services Division officers also spoke with Taylor.  He stated that he used a mop to force Rocko from behind the dryer and then used his hands to choke the dog.

Taylor is being charged with aggravated animal cruelty (a felony) and abuse or neglect of an animal.  There is no bond information at this time.

Baltimore City police who said Taylor will be released without pay, issued a statement Wednesday:

"The Baltimore Police Department is conducting an administrative investigation into the incident contained in the charges filed (Wednesday) morning by the Montgomery County Police Department against Officer Alec Taylor. Allegations of animal cruelty are taken seriously by the Baltimore Police Department. Over the course of the last year significant emphasis has been placed on developing and training investigators to handle animal abuse incidents in Baltimore."

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