At a Glance
- Court
- Superior Court of the District of Columbia
- Case Type
- Criminal Indictment
- Parties
- United States v. Adriano Demorais
- Jurisdiction
- District of Columbia
- Date
- 2024-08-27
- Status
- Indicted
A former employee of District Dogs, a Washington, D.C., pet day care and boarding company, was arrested and indicted on Aug. 27, 2024, on a felony charge of cruelty to animals, according to The Washington Post [1]. The defendant, Adriano Demorais, 33, of Prince George's County, Maryland, was arraigned the same day before Judge Robert Salerno in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia [4][3].
Federal prosecutors allege that on Feb. 16, 2024, Demorais was working an overnight shift at the District Dogs location in the Navy Yard neighborhood of Washington when the incident occurred [4]. While feeding dogs in the early morning hours, Demorais allegedly kicked Bronny, a 5-month-old Mountain Cur/German shepherd mix, forcefully in the left side of his abdomen [4]. The puppy briefly circled the room before collapsing seconds later [4]. Bronny was transported to a veterinary facility, where he was pronounced dead [4]. A necropsy confirmed the cause of death as blunt abdominal trauma with subsequent hemorrhagic shock [4].
Prosecutors state that Demorais admitted to striking the dog, telling investigators he had acted out of frustration because Bronny had become too energetic while Demorais was attempting to feed the other animals [4]. District Dogs confirmed to local media in February 2024 that Demorais had been terminated following the incident [3]. The case is being investigated jointly by the Humane Rescue Alliance and the Metropolitan Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie Tsesarenko [4].
If convicted, Demorais faces a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison [4]. Any sentence would ultimately be determined by the court in accordance with advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors [4]. The indictment marks a significant development in a case that drew public attention shortly after the February incident, when early police reports described the employee as claiming he kicked the dog to "calm him down" after the animal became too energetic during feeding [9].
The prosecution adds to a difficult period for District Dogs as a company. Less than a year before the Bronny incident, 10 dogs drowned at the company's Rhode Island Avenue location during severe flooding in August 2023 [9]. That location has since been permanently closed [9].
References
[1] The Washington Post. (2024, August 27). Former District Dogs worker indicted in death of dog after alleged kick. https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/08/27/district-dogs-worker-indicted-dog-killed/
[2] U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. (2024, August 27). Dog Daycare Employee Indicted on Charges of Felony Cruelty to Animals for Kicking a Dog to Death. https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/dog-daycare-employee-indicted-charges-felony-cruelty-animals-kicking-dog-death
[3] WUSA9. (2024, August 28). Former District Dogs worker indicted on animal cruelty charges after allegedly kicking dog to death. https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/crime/former-district-dogs-employee-indicted-charges-kicking-a-dog-death-at-navy-yard-location/65-e55ddcd3-4efc-4bef-93aa-0b07669c96fe
[4] WTOP News. (2024, February 22). Dog dies after being kicked by District Dogs employee. https://wtop.com/dc/2024/02/dog-dies-after-being-kicked-by-district-dogs-employee/