Tuesday, September 27, 1988

Florida: Michael Biondi, 21, accused of beating a tiny kitten to death and then holding the kitten's broken and battered body up in the air and letting his pit bull rip it to pieces

FLORIDA -- The owner of a pit bull terrier was charged with cruelty to animals on Monday after police said he was seen feeding a kitten to his dog.

Michael Biondi, 21, of the 2100 block of Cleveland St., was accused of feeding the kitten to the dog on Thursday, Broward Sheriff`s Office spokesman Al Gordon said.

A Hollywood police officer, who arrived at the scene after a neighbor called police, said he witnessed Biondi standing over the dog as it was continually biting the cat, Gordon said.

An autopsy of the cat revealed that it had died of blows to the head and mid- section and was killed before the dog got to it, Gordon said.

The dog was taken away by Broward County Animal Control and Biondi was issued a notice to appear in court, Gordon said. The cruely charge is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in prison and a $5,000 fine.

(Sun Sentinel - September 27, 1988)