VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach man who was caught on camera allegedly beating up his own dog faced a judge Friday.
On Friday, prosecutors played a video that they say shows a man brutally beating his dog.
The next-door neighbor who recorded the video told News 3's Penny Kmitt she never expected something like this to happen in her own community.
"As soon as I saw it, I was in complete shock," said Mirian Avendano.
Avendano testified Friday, saying on one afternoon in September, she looked out her guest bedroom window to see her next-door neighbor, Keith Gillman, torturing his dog.
That video played out in court Friday.
Avendano said she first heard strange noises coming from outside, then shortly after, noticed Gillman spraying his canine with a high-pressure hose.
Avendano said Gillman then kicked, punched and whipped the animal.
"We have a very quiet neighborhood, and whenever I do look out my window, I see my neighbors' kids playing, too. I see the dog having fun," she said. "So never would I have anticipated those noises were animal abuse.
Thankfully, the dog, whose name is Hercules, survived the incident and has since been adopted by a new family.
The prosecution did not provide any evidence that the dog was seriously injured. That led the defense to argue that this should be a misdemeanor charge rather than a felony.
Gillman now faces attempted torture or maiming of a dog or cat. He'll go before a grand jury later in February.
His trial date is set for April 24.
