By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

A Salisbury man remains behind bars after he was accused of stabbing a small dog multiple times in the neck and stomach.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office charged Phillip John Shoemaker, 22, of the 5800 block of Goodman Lake Road, with one count of felony animal cruelty.

A neighbor spotted the incident, which occurred at Highland Park Drive, on Thursday just before midnight. The neighbor told authorities she saw a young man she only knew as Phillip attack a small breed dog.

She saw him hold the dog down with his knee and stab the dog in the stomach. She yelled at him to stop, but she said he then stabbed the dog in the neck. When she confronted him, the woman said Shoemaker told her the owner gave him permission to “do away with the dog” after it bit him.

The neighbor had the dog in her house when a deputy arrived on the scene. The dog had several stab wounds to the neck and a puncture wound to the stomach. When the deputy went to the home where Shoemaker was, he refused to come to the door. He did go to the door when the dog’s owner arrived home and allowed the officer to come inside.

Officials say the dog was stabbed with a fixed blade 8-inch knife, which was recovered. Shoemaker still had blood on his jeans from the incident moments earlier. The owner took the dog for medical treatment.

It is not clear the breed of dog nor the dog’s current condition. Authorities say it is also not clear whether the owner did in fact give Shoemaker permission to commit such acts.

He is being held under $5,000 bond pending a Dec. 14 court date.

Check back for more details.