Sheriff says Texas man admitted hanging puppy ‘out of boredom’

MONTE ALTO, Texas  — A Texas man accused of hanging a small puppy by the neck from a tree and posting a video on Facebook told deputies that he was acting “out of boredom,” a sheriff said.

Claudio Gomez, 21, of Monte Alto, Texas, was being held Friday in the Hidalgo County Jail, charged with torturing a non-livestock animal, a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison. Bond was set at $10,000.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Frank Medrano said deputies traced the video to Gomez, who Medrano says admitted to hanging the dog. Gomez was arrested on Wednesday.

Medrano said authorities later found the puppy dead.

Rubio Salinas, Gomez’s attorney, declined to comment on the case until he could confer with his client.

Monte Alto is an unincorporated community of about 2,100 residents 20 miles (33 kilometers) northeast of McAllen.