Vancouver man sought in dog beating death detained

A Vancouver man wanted in connection with the beating death of a dog found in a dumpster in the city last week has been detained by police on another criminal matter, CBC News has learned.

The man has been taken into custody for questioning aftera complaint of criminal harassment was filedagainst him by a Burnaby, B.C., woman but he also will be interviewed about the animal's death.

CBC News has obtained a copy of information sworn out to obtain a search warrant regarding the dog's beating.

In it, a witnesstold the B.C. SPCA he'll be haunted by the sound of banging coming from the man's apartment on July 18,the day neighbours found the gravely wounded dognamed Captain in a dumpster behind the apartment building. The animaldied of his injuries the next day, sparking a wave of public concern.

According to the court documents, the witness,who lives in the building, sent an email to investigators July 20.

"I heard a really loud fast banging. It sounded like something metal hitting wood, very fast and very hard, like someone was in a rage beating against something," the building resident said in the email.

"The sound of that beating will never leave my head! I have done lots of remodelling and I know what metal hitting wood sounds like, from using a crowbar to tear out walls. There is no doubt in my mind of that what I heard was him beating that nice dog."

The information sworn to obtain the search warrant details the investigation starting with a neighbour's discovery of Captain laying at the bottom of a dumpster: "The dog appeared underweight, was conscious but motionless."

Couldn't walk

A white bag of towels full of feces and diarrhea was also found beside the dog in the dumpster. Veterinary staff recorded puncture wounds at the back of the neck and over the dog's shoulder as well as lacerations to the head. The dog couldn't walk.

On July 20, a Vancouver police officer attended the apartment with an SPCA officer and the building manager.

The officer noted a large link chain and a baseball bat on the floor as well as multiple piles of feces.

The witness who heard what sounded like beating coming from the suspect's apartment called the SPCA on July 20. In his statement, he claimed to have seen the suspect walking Captain with a large chain.

"The chain was looped around the dog's neck acting as a collar and leash," the witness wrote. "I feel horrible now that I didn't call when I knew there was something wrong when I heard that rage going on. I have seen [the suspect] with that dog for maybe two months and had spoken with him and asked him why he had such a big chain on that dog."

An SPCA officer went to the apartment July 21, but there was still no sign of the owner. The officer also contacted the owner's mother.

"She did confirm the dog's name was Captain, that [her son] had him approximately two months and when she had seen Captain in the past he did look 'a little bit skinny,'" the court document reads.

"[The mother] also confirmed that her son was having some mental health issues."

The SPCA has said it is considering charges against the owner.