Police say a Stamford man is charged with animal cruelty for kicking a puppy.

Police say a woman was walking her 4-month-old Labrador retriever when she saw Glen Martin, 50, approach. She stepped aside and was attempting to move the puppy when Martin allegedly kicked the animal in the ribs.

The incident happened Tuesday evening at Atlantic and Federal streets in downtown Stamford, according to authorities. The woman called police and gave a description of Martin, who was arrested not far from the area a short time later.

Martin also faces a drug paraphernalia charge. Police say they found a bong on him during their search.

Police say the woman doesn't know Martin but has encountered him before while walking her dog. She told them Martin previously made comments to her, but this time got violent.

“The dog was not seriously injured but he did give a pretty violent kick, enough to warrant police action and therefore the cruelty to animal charge is actually a D felony,” says Capt. Dietrich Hohn, of the Stamford Police Department.

Martin is due in court Aug. 13.

The alleged kicking incident is the latest in a string of animal abuse and neglect cases in Connecticut this summer. Last week, a dog was found abandoned and tied to a tree in a Norwalk park with a note attached to her collar.

Earlier in July, a mastiff-mix came under the care of Woodbridge Animal Control after she was hit by two cars. Officers say it was evident she had been previously tortured and likely used in dogfighting.

West Haven police have their own investigation into a miniature schnauzer that was set on fire and burned to death in the Sandy Point Beach parking lot just after the July Fourth holiday.

It came less than a week after a pit bull mix was found dead in a cage in the woods of Bethany. She had been left without food or water during intense heat.

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