PALM COAST, Fla. — A 25-year-old Palm Coast man was arrested Monday afternoon after his dog was found shot in the face in a kennel, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said.

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Deputies said they were called to a Seaman Trail East home Saturday afternoon after several people heard dogs barking and crying before hearing gunfire.

Detectives said Jamier Lee shot the dog, Rocky, in the snout and left him in a kennel in a bedroom but denied hearing anything at first.

“His behavior and mannerisms became concerning, and deputies witnessed him sweating excessively with what appeared to be freshly smeared blood on his face,” said Melissa Morreale, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman. “They also observed a freshly dug hole in the corner of the backyard and Lee hosing off his back lanai.”

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Detectives said Lee told them he woke up to a relative screaming at his dog, who had bitten her.

Lee said he jumped out of bed, retrieved a gun, picked up the dog, walked outside and shot the dog once in the head, detectives said.

“He then dragged the dog back inside, locked it in the kennel and attempted to clean the bloody patio to prevent anyone from knowing what happened,” Morreale said.

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After Lee confessed, the dog was found “visibly in pain” and taken to Flagler Animal Hospital, detectives said.

They said Rocky was in the kennel for more than two hours before being discovered.

“This is a sick and twisted individual to try and reprimand an animal and leave it to die,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “I’m glad the dog is doing well and expected to make a full recovery.”

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Lee was booked into the Flagler County Jail on charges of animal cruelty and evidence tampering. He was being held in lieu of a $7,500 bail.

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