'Really Coming Around': Dog Recovering After Being Rescued From Suspected Abuser

LONG BEACH, CA — An injured dog rescued after a man was caught on video slamming and kicking her in Long Beach earlier this week is expected to make a full recovery, according to the city's animal care officials.

Inara, who is a German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix about five months old, was rescued Tuesday night following an investigation into a video showing her being abused, according to authorities.

Her suspected attacker, 28-year-old Westminster resident Alexander Cueva, has since been arrested and charged with a felony count of cruelty to an animal, along with the special allegation that he used a leash as a deadly weapon in the attack, according to Los Angeles County prosecutors.

The night of her rescue, Inara was taken to a veterinary hospital where she was treated for injuries consistent with suspected trauma, Long Beach Animal Care Services Bureau Manager Melanie Wagner told Patch. The extent of the injuries could not be disclosed due to the active investigation, Wagner said.

"The good news is that she is expected to heal with time and care," Wagner said.

The dog appeared to be scared and nervous the night she was rescued, Wagner said. But has since started "coming out of her shell," Wagner said.

"The veterinary hospital reported to us that she was energetic and really coming around and starting to trust the vet technicians," Wagner said.

The dog is currently being cared for by one of the LBACS' long-term fosterers. Depending on the conclusion of the police investigation and the dog's overall progress, she'll either go up for adoption or stay in the care of her rescue, Wagner said.

Wagner said she appreciated how quickly the community got involved after the video was posted online. Because of that support, Long Beach police were quickly able to identify the suspect and get the dog the help it needed, according to Wagner.

In the graphic video, a man who police say is Cueva walks into frame with the slack dog hanging over his shoulder. Only after he slams it to the ground does the dog appear alive, offering slight resistance before the man kicks it and continues on, hanging the dog over his shoulder again by the leash as he walks away.

The video quickly went viral amid widespread calls to identify the man and rescue the dog. It also prompted the animal rights non-profit PETA to offer a $5k reward for information leading to the suspect's arrest and conviction, along with the rescue of the dog.

“This dog was violently attacked—and who knows what other abuse has not been caught on camera,” PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange said in a statement Monday.