A Rhode Island boxer is facing charges of animal abuse after allegedly beating his girlfriend’s dog, the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said last week. Robert Nolette Jr. was arrested late last month after Coco, an 8-year-old beagle mix was brought to the Bay State Veterinary Hospital with injuries indicating physical abuse. Nolette, 22, and his girlfriend previously brought Coco to another veterinary hospital in August for rib fractures.
Bay State Veterinary Hospital contacted the RISPCA after Coco was brought in for emergency care, the RISPCA said, reports WRPI. Coco had “multiple injuries consistent with physical abuse, including multiple rib fractures … and severe bruising to the chest and abdomen,” according to the organization. A veterinarian told investigators he believed Coco’s injuries were caused by blows to the chest and “did not believe that the injuries occurred in another, less nefarious way.”
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Investigators visited their Scituate, Rhode Island home, where Nolette’s girlfriend said Coco was hurt while she was at her daughter’s cheerleading practice. The girlfriend said she left Coco with Nolette, who was acting normally before she left. When she returned home, she found Coco suffering from several injuries, the RISPCA said. The girlfriend said she loaded Coco into her car and took her to the vet, reports Fall River Reporter.
In August, Nolette and his girlfriend took Coco to Ocean State Veterinary Hospital. The couple said Coco’s injuries at that time were caused by a fall down their staircase.
Nolette was charged with “three felony counts of malicious injury to or killing of animals and one count of unnecessary cruelty to animals.” He was released on $5,000 personal recognizance and ordered to not care for animals. His next court date was scheduled for Jan. 5.
“This is definitely one of the worst cases that we’ve seen of cruelty,” Earl Newman, the RISPCA special agent investigating the case, told WJAR. “It’s disturbing when there’s that level of violence towards an animal.” Newman said there were burns covering about half of Coco’s body and several ribs were fractured.
“When I initially saw the level of injuries to the dog, I did not expect that she would have survived the injury,” Newman said. Coco is expected to survive. “She’s doing well surprisingly,” the investigator said. “She’s a strong dog.”ย
