Judge Gives Dog Protection Order; US Man Accused of Beating It

NEW YORK: A judge is this dog's best friend. Bebe, a 5-year-old bichon frise, a fluffy little white dog, was given an order of protection after a man was accused of beating him.

Fredrick Fontanez, 20, was arraigned Thursday on a misdemeanor count of animal abuse and released on his own recognizance, but not before the judge told him to steer clear of Bebe.

The protection order, the first for a dog in the state, was issued by Queens Criminal Court Judge Alex Zigman. It says Fontanez cannot come within a 100 yards (91 meters) of the dog and its owner, Derek Lopez.

Bebe was found badly beaten July 20 in Lopez's apartment, where Fontanez was staying, a criminal complaint said. Lopez, 27, says he had to go to work and left Bebe with Fontanez, trusting the dog would be safe. When he returned hours later, he found a severely bruised Bebe, who "winced, yelped and cried" at the slightest touch, the complaint said.

Details here from the AP via the International Herald Tribune.