RICHARD PATRICK HOWLEY arrested on accusations of dragging a puppy behind a bike and kicking and punching the furvictim

- Florida, USA -

The DeLand Police Department arrested 61-year-old RICHARD PATRICK HOWLEY (pictured).

On the early evening of Wednesday, March 11, 2026, Officer Greene was dispatched to the intersection of West New York Avenue and Stone Street in reference to reports of animal abuse.

According to witnesses’ reports, HOWLEY was seen dragging a puppy behind a bicycle and kicking and hitting the furvictim.

Court documents identified the puppy as a 10 to 12-week-old, intact male black Labrador Retriever - type mixed breed named Charlie.

Once on the scene, Officer Greene made contact with HOWLEY who stated that he was “training” the puppy.

After Officer Greene handcuffed HOWLEY, he spoke with a few witnesses.

One of them said that as she was driving and approaching the aforementioned intersection, she saw HOWLEY riding a bicycle while dragging a puppy along the roadway by a leash attached to the bicycle. At one point the leash appeared to be tangled around the bicycle and the puppy was unable to keep up with HOWLEY’s speed. The witness went on to state that when the puppy inevitably fell, HOWLEY continued to drag him and then he dismounted the bicycle and kicked the puppy. According to the witness, HOWLEY also repeatedly struck Charlie in the head and side.

The witness rolled down her vehicle’s window and yelled at HOWLEY to stop hitting the puppy. At that point, HOWLEY struck Charlie again and began yelling profanities at the witness. The witness pulled over and called law enforcement.

Another witness told Officer Greene that he saw HOWLEY trying to get a dog who was lying on the ground to move. When the dog did not move, HOWLEY began striking the dog repeatedly on the side of the head with his fist. The witness stated that several bystanders began yelling at HOWLEY to stop but he continued striking the dog. According to the witness, he even approached HOWLEY in an attempt to assist the dog, but HOWLEY refused to allow anyone to provide Charlie with water or food.

Officers Greene examined Charlie and reported that when he touched him on the side, Charlie yelped in pain.

Charlie was taken to Animal Emergency Hospital DeLand for medical evaluation. At the hospital, Dr. Schwanebeck examined Charlie and advised that he showed “sensitivity to palpation of the abdomen.” Dr. Schwanebeck also noted the presence of several scabs that appeared older in nature and observed that the nails on Charlie’s hind paws were worn.

The following day, March 12, 2026, Animal Control Officer Taylor Soukup took Charlie to VCA DeLand Animal Hospital for a follow up evaluation.

At the time of writing, records show that HOWLEY is being held into the Volusia County Jail on a $5,000 bond. HOWLEY is facing felony cruelty to animals.

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the arrest report provided to Voice For Us by the DeLand Police Department. Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

Pictures are still images from the videos provided to Voice For Us by the DeLand Police Department.

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