A man in Lehigh Acres, Florida, was arrested on Monday for committing a horrifying act of animal cruelty. Anthony Bellman, 55, was charged with aggravated animal cruelty after he was caught on surveillance video dumping his neighbor's 16-year-old Shih Tzu named Xyla into a dumpster. The incident took place behind a Family Dollar store, where employees discovered a moving trash bag inside the dumpster on December 9th. To their shock, they found Xyla inside the bag, with a rope tied tightly around her neck. The employees immediately rushed Xyla to a local pet hospital for evaluation, as well as reported the intentional abuse to the police.

Detectives from the Lee County Sheriff's Animal Cruelty Task Force responded swiftly to the incident. They reviewed the surveillance footage, which showed Bellman callously tossing a black trash bag containing Xyla from several feet away into the dumpster before driving off. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno played the disturbing clip during a press conference, expressing his disgust at Bellman's actions. "This sickens me," Marceno said, emphasizing that Bellman showed zero regard for the life of Xyla. "No living thing deserves to be discarded like common trash."

With the help of the surveillance footage, detectives were able to track down Bellman. They discovered that Xyla was micro-chipped, but tragically, her original owners had passed away. Detectives went to the address associated with Bellman's vehicle and found him wearing the same clothing as the suspect in the video. He was immediately taken in for questioning, and during the investigation, detectives learned that Bellman had told his family he was taking Xyla to the Humane Society to be euthanized. This lie only deepened the severity of his crime.

Bellman was subsequently arrested and now faces felony charges of aggravated animal cruelty. If convicted, he will be listed on the county's Animal Abuse registry. Marceno highlighted the seriousness of Bellman's actions, stating, "Hospital examinations determined that Xyla was on her way to a painful death. If she had not been discovered, her last moments would have been like drowning from the inside out."

Thankfully, Xyla is now recovering from her traumatic experience with the support of Lee County Domestic Animal Services. They are working closely with the State Attorney's office to find her a loving forever home. Despite the cruelty she endured, Xyla is in good health and ready for adoption.

Sheriff Marceno took the opportunity to emphasize the commitment of the Lee County Sheriff's Animal Cruelty Task Force to combatting such heinous acts. Founded by Marceno, the task force has already made 15 felony animal cruelty arrests and received thousands of abuse complaints. "You don't get to abuse an animal in Lee County," Marceno stated firmly.

As for Bellman, he was released on bond after his arrest. However, his name will forever be associated with his horrific crime in the county's Animal Abuse Registry. The swift action taken by detectives and the support of the community have ensured that justice will be served for Xyla and other innocent animals who have suffered at the hands of heartless individuals like Bellman.