COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — A man accused of animal abuse has pleaded not guilty to his charges.
Robert William Garon is charged in the July beating death of a five-month-old Goldendoodle puppy. He waived his right to appear at an arraignment scheduled for Tuesday.
The 23-year-old is accused of beating the "designer dog," a hybrid of poodle and golden retriever, causing head trauma and muscle damage. The dog died at an animal hospital after being brought in by Garon and his girlfriend.
Garon says he left the dog home for "just two hours," and upon returning, found the dog unwell.
Garon's family says he passed a recently-requested polygraph test from an independent examiner.
In a written statement, Day alleges that law enforcement failed to interview "critical witnesses," but did not go into further details about who those witnesses may be.
Deputies say witnesses reported hearing Garon beating the puppy, named Buzz Lightyear, on the day of the incident. Those witnesses also say the man has a history of domestic violence captured on video and text messages.
