Man Arrested for Stabbing Puppy Speaks Behind Bars
By: Jessica Reyes
Updated: January 25, 2012
An Abilene man who confessed to stabbing a puppy told KTAB his side of the story from jail Tuesday.
Larry Dollins, Jr. is the man police said stabbed a 14-week old puppy eleven times.
"I didn't have an opportunity to go to a veterinarian," Dollins said in a jailhouse interview Tuesday afternoon.
Police arrested Dollins Monday night on a felony warrant for cruelty to animals. Dollins said he wanted to kill the dog because she had heart worm, and he couldn't afford to take her to a vet.
"When I got let go, I went from making $1,500 to $280 every two weeks," he said.
Dollins said the dog was suffering and he didn't want her to be in pain anymore. When asked why he stabbed her, he said only because he didn't have a gun.
"A lot of people that I've known, dogs get sick, they'll take them out in a field and shoot them. I would have shot the dog instead of stabbed it, because it would have been quicker and a lot easier," he said.
Neighbors watched as police took Dollins into custody Monday. His next door neighbor, Robert Thompson, said he'd been acting strangely for a few days.
"Expression, his weight in his face, his eyes," Thompson recalled.
Dollins even gave the dog to Thompson to take care of, but he soon returned her.
"I gave the dog back because I didn't want him to use it as an excuse to trip," Thompson said.
That's when Dollins took matters into his own hands.
"I threw it in the trash can and I had to walk away," he said.
The dog, named Taz, is still at the Key City Veterinary Clinic. She'll be adopted out to a new home once she's well enough to leave the clinic.
Anyone interested in providing a new home for Taz will need to visit the Abilene animal shelter on South 25th Street. Anyone interested in adopting her is asked to visit the animal shelter in person.
Continuing Coverage:
Larry Dollins, Jr. is the man police said stabbed a 14-week old puppy eleven times.
"I didn't have an opportunity to go to a veterinarian," Dollins said in a jailhouse interview Tuesday afternoon.
Police arrested Dollins Monday night on a felony warrant for cruelty to animals. Dollins said he wanted to kill the dog because she had heart worm, and he couldn't afford to take her to a vet.
"When I got let go, I went from making $1,500 to $280 every two weeks," he said.
Dollins said the dog was suffering and he didn't want her to be in pain anymore. When asked why he stabbed her, he said only because he didn't have a gun.
"A lot of people that I've known, dogs get sick, they'll take them out in a field and shoot them. I would have shot the dog instead of stabbed it, because it would have been quicker and a lot easier," he said.
Neighbors watched as police took Dollins into custody Monday. His next door neighbor, Robert Thompson, said he'd been acting strangely for a few days.
"Expression, his weight in his face, his eyes," Thompson recalled.
Dollins even gave the dog to Thompson to take care of, but he soon returned her.
"I gave the dog back because I didn't want him to use it as an excuse to trip," Thompson said.
That's when Dollins took matters into his own hands.
"I threw it in the trash can and I had to walk away," he said.
The dog, named Taz, is still at the Key City Veterinary Clinic. She'll be adopted out to a new home once she's well enough to leave the clinic.
Anyone interested in providing a new home for Taz will need to visit the Abilene animal shelter on South 25th Street. Anyone interested in adopting her is asked to visit the animal shelter in person.
Continuing Coverage:
