Man charged with booting, injuring pet

GRAND FORKS — An Edinburg, N.D., man is charged with animal abuse for allegedly kicking a chinchilla’s cage during a domestic dispute, injuring its paw and bloodying its nose and mouth.

Joseph Marting, 26, appeared in state District Court for a preliminary hearing Tuesday.

A criminal complaint said Marting and his live-in girlfriend were quarreling when he kicked the chinchilla’s cage on Oct. 22. Walsh County (N.D.) Deputy Fred Marquardt “witnessed that the Chinchilla had blood around its nose, mouth and the Chinchilla’s paw appeared to be injured,” the complaint states.

The pet, named Sam, (short for Samantha) survived the ordeal and did not see a veterinarian, Marquardt said.

Chinchillas are small rodents found in the Andes and bred for their soft, pale-gray fur.

Marting faces a misdemeanor animal abuse charge and also a felony charge of interfering with an emergency call from the same incident.

Archie Ingersoll is a reporter

at the Grand Forks (N.D.)

Herald, which is owned by

Forum Communications Co.

Tags: news, crime, chinchilla, pet, animal, abuse