Man accused of killing girlfriend's puppy by hanging with shoelace

BLACK CREEK, N.C. -- A Wilson County man is facing a felony charge of cruelty to animals after deputies said he used a shoelace to hang his girlfriend's puppy, killing the dog.

Joshua Davis, 29, bonded out of jail Monday. Deputies arrested him the day before when they were called to the house he shared with his girlfriend in the 700 block of Cemetery Street.

The woman had gone to the magistrate's office to report what happened, telling authorities Davis hanged her dog in her closet Saturday night while she wasn't at home.

Wanda Samuel, sheriff's office chief of staff, confirmed to WTVD-TV, Eyewitness News' sister station in North Carolina, that the woman told authorities she and Davis argued Saturday morning when she refused to take him fishing. She said he then killed her puppy in retaliation.