‘Difficult To Watch’: An HVAC Technician Was Servicing a Home, Then a Dog Camera Allegedly Caught Him Kicking a Customer’s Chihuahua Unconscious
"The video is difficult to watch and shows the callousness of this individual."
A Florida air conditioning technician has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty after he was allegedly caught on video violently kicking a small dog while working at a client’s home. According to People, the Sanford Police Department announced on Thursday, Aug. 27, that Richardson Noel had been arrested.
Police say a Furbo dog treat dispenser in the living room was equipped with a camera, which allegedly captured Noel kicking the family’s Chihuahua until the animal was “unconscious.” A video showed the dog barking at Noel while he was in the yard, before he entered through a sliding door and allegedly kicked the dog, causing it to slide across the floor and land on its side. No more barking was heard, and the dog remained unconscious for what police described as a significant period of time.
“It is deeply disturbing that someone entrusted with entering a person’s home to complete a service would violate that trust by viciously injuring a defenseless animal,” Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith said. “The video is difficult to watch and shows the callousness of this individual.”
Florida Treats This as a Felony, Not a Misdemeanor
The incident happened just before 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 24, according to a timestamp on the footage. Police were made aware of it on Wednesday, Aug. 25, and Noel was arrested the next day. It’s not known whether he’s obtained legal counsel, and the department has not disclosed the name of his employer.
Under Florida Statute 828.12, aggravated animal cruelty applies when someone intentionally commits an act resulting in an animal’s cruel death or the excessive or repeated infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering. That’s a third-degree felony carrying up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, a real penalty compared to some past cases involving harm to a pet.
If a judge or jury finds the conduct involved knowing and intentional torture that injured or maimed the animal, the law also requires a mandatory minimum fine of $2,500 and court-ordered psychological counseling or anger management treatment. The fact that Noel was working for a company at the time raises a separate legal question the homeowner may end up asking.
Under Florida’s version of respondeat superior, an employer generally isn’t liable for an employee’s intentional or criminal acts unless those acts were committed “to further a purpose or interest, however excessive or misguided, of the employer,” according to a standard set by Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal. Kicking a customer’s dog wouldn’t typically meet that bar on its own, since it doesn’t serve any business purpose.
The homeowner could still have a separate claim against the company itself if it can be shown the employer was negligent in hiring or continuing to employ Noel despite known red flags.
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