PAHRUMP, Nev. — A Nevada man accused of animal cruelty told investigators he punctured the shell of a desert tortoise so he could put a leash on it, police said.
Nye County Sheriff's Office deputies found the tortoise July 14 when responding to the home of Philip Peng, 71, to arrest him for an unrelated crime, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Deputies said they found the tortoise struggling to stay above water in a bucket on Peng's property. The tortoise was tethered to a long cord attached to the porch, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Nye County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Adam Tippetts told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that a veterinarian who examined the tortoise said it was in "extreme pain." The tortoise is recovering at an animal shelter, police said.
Peng admitted to drilling two holes into the shell of the tortoise, police said.
Peng was charged with animal cruelty and faces charges for two unrelated crimes that he was arrested for in July.