Cops: Man Tried to Hang Girlfriend's Dog in Port Chester

A 20-year-old Port Chester man who was angry at his girlfriend's dog for relieving itself on the kitchen floor is accused of trying to hang the dog and hitting his girlfriend, according to Port Chester police.

Police said a loaded shotgun was also confiscated as Christopher Hyatt of 248 Columbus Ave., Port Chester, was arrested at 1:16 a.m. Thursday. Hyatt's 18-year-old girlfriend said he threatened to shoot the dog as he had the dog hanging from a ceiling pipe in the basement of 248 Columbus Ave.

Lt. James Ladeairous said police went to 248 Columbus Ave. when they were called about a man with a gun threatening to shoot a dog. When police arrived, they found that an 8-month-old pit bull had been hang about a foot off the floor, with its leash tied to a pipe.

Ladeairous said that during the night Hyatt and his girlfriend had argued about the dog and that Hyatt was angered when the dog relieved itself on the kitchen floor. The girlfriend told police that Hyatt took the dog to the basement, tried to hang the dog and then got a Remington shotgun and pointed it at the dog's head.

As a relative called police, Ladeairous said Hyatt pushed his girlfriend and hit her in the face. The girlfriend suffered a cut on the lip.

The dog was released from the pipe and was not seriously injured, police said.

Hyatt was charged with attempted third-degree assault for hitting his girlfriend and he was cited for violating the state's Agriculture and Markets Law for abusing the dog. He was arraigned in Port Chester Village Court and released on $250 bail pending a hearing.