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A Pembroke Pines man is facing assault, burglary and theft charges after investigators say he refused to pay for his dog’s medical care, nabbing him from an animal hospital and threatening to kill staff, according to Broward court records.
Jason Anthony Pacheco, 46, called an unidentified animal hospital on Monday, July 13, to ask if his pup — Precious Pacheco — could receive free emergency care since he didn’t have the money to pay for it, his arrest report by the Tamarac Police Department says.
A front desk receptionist advised that while the hospital “did not have any more money in their charity fund,” she’d help him apply for a loan to pay for the procedure, with police adding Pacheco agreed.
He took Precious to the hospital for standard tests and blood work.
Police say the dog was diagnosed with “terminal cancer” and recommended for euthanasia by a hospital veterinarian, angering Pacheco, who “became even more upset” when told he’d have to put a card on file for a $505 medical bill.
That led Pacheco to take off his shirt and enter the restricted employee area toward the back of the animal hospital, added TPD, who say the 46-year-old also screamed, “The dog is dead. I’ll kill everyone in here.”
He then walked past the front desk and removed Precious from a kennel “without paying for any of the services rendered and left while screaming more obscenities at the staff,” the arrest report says.
Tamarac officers responded to the animal hospital’s call about the disturbance and spoke to three witnesses — the office manager, front desk receptionist and a customer who was in the lobby — who confirmed Pacheco took the dog without paying and made harmful threats.
Police arrested Pacheco at his Pembroke Pines home hours later and booked him into Broward Main Jail, where he was released July 16 on a $17,500 bond, according to court records.
Pacheco, who submitted a plea of not guilty the day after he was released, faces a felony charge for burglary with assault or battery and four misdemeanors for assault and petty theft valued at $100 to $750.
His attorney, Marco Antonio Quesada, has not responded to the Pembroke Pines News’ request for comment as of July 22.
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