A man has been arrested in Henry County on animal cruelty charges. According to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, on March 1,  deputies responded to the area of 319 Robin Road in the Axton community after receiving a report that a dog had been shot.

Deputies arrived within minutes and made contact with the complainant, who advised that her pet Chihuahua had been struck by gunfire. She reported hearing two gunshots from a neighboring residence while she was inside her home. When she went outside to determine what had happened, she discovered that her dog had been shot.

Deputies observed multiple blood trails and an apparent gunshot wound to the groin/testicular area of the dog. The companion animal was immediately transported to an emergency veterinary clinic for treatment of the injuries sustained.

The complainant identified her neighbor as Brad Flood. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that Flood had left the area prior to law enforcement’s arrival. Deputies later contacted Flood by telephone, and he returned to his residence to speak with deputies on scene.

Flood stated that his neighbor’s dog was in his backyard along with several other dogs, barking and refusing to leave. He said he went inside his residence, retrieved a firearm, and returned outside, where he observed the dogs still in his yard, continuing to bark and moving farther onto his property. Flood admitted that he fired one shot in their direction in an attempt to scare them away but stated that he did not believe he struck any of the animals.

A 9mm handgun was recovered at the scene and was found to be missing two rounds from the magazine, consistent with the complainant’s account of two shots being fired. Based on physical evidence, witness statements, and the significant gunshot wound sustained by the dog, Brad Lamont Flood, 48 years of age, was placed under arrest and charged with the following:
• Maiming of a Companion Animal – 18.2-144
• Animal Cruelty – 3.2-6570

Flood was brought before a magistrate on both charges and was subsequently held at the Henry County Adult Detention Center on a $1,000.00 secured bond.