Florida man arrested after shooting dog during fight with girlfriend, cops say

A man has been arrested after he allegedly shot his girlfriend’s dog during a domestic dispute while children were only one room away.

Steven Parsons, 34, was taken into custody without incident around 9:30 p.m. Sept. 9, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies learned the disturbance occurred because Parsons’ girlfriend hid his guns from him because he was intoxicated and made a comment about using them on himself, according to authorities.

She said Parsons became aggressive after she hid the guns, and she left the house to get away from him.

Deputies entered the house to check on the safety of the two children inside, an 8-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl. They were upset but uninjured.

Authorities noticed blood throughout the house, and they saw a pit bull mix, who came around the corner bleeding heavily with an apparent gunshot wound between the eyes, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

The dog was friendly toward deputies, walking around and wagging its tail, seemingly stable and alert despite the injury, police say.

Parsons said Parsons shot the dog because it bit him. Parsons’ girlfriend told deputies the dog is protective of her and bit Parsons on the hand because he was yelling.

Police found a spent gunshot round inside the bathroom where the shooting occurred and determined that only thin drywall separated the bathroom from the bedroom where the children were at the time.

Parsons’ girlfriend took the dog to an emergency animal clinic in Daytona Beach, Flordia, for treatment.

Deputies seized Parsons’ weapons and transported him to a hospital in Orange City. Parsons was then transported to Volusia County branch jail, where he is being held without bond.

Parsons has been charged with animal cruelty, child abuse and shooting into a dwelling.