This distressing footage shows a “lowlife” kicking and punching a poor little dog causing it to yelp in pain and “spin 180 degrees” before it scurries over to a metal cage in the corner of a living room.

The incident took place in the city of Fort Myers, which is located in the southern US state of Florida, with police officers arresting the man on Thursday, 10th March 2022.

The footage shows a visibly angry man, who has been named as Michael Fernandes, 28, shouting at his miniature American Bulldog named Guido and threatening to kill it if it defecates in the house.

He can then be seen allegedly punching the poor animal before kicking it, causing it to yelp in pain. The police said that this caused the animal to “spin 180 degrees”.

Poor Guido then scurries over to a metal cage in the corner of what appears to be a well-furnished living room.

The footage showing the alleged animal abuse was shared by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) along with a statement obtained by Newsflash.

The LCSO said: “A North Fort Myers man was captured on video punching and kicking his miniature American Bulldog.

“On Thursday, March 10, 2022, Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home on Zebra Drive in North Fort Myers. The complainant showed deputies video of Michael Fernandes (DOB 7/1/1994) brutally punching and kicking the canine named ‘Guido.'”

The police said that the footage was recorded in February this year and it has since been studied by law enforcement investigators specialising in animal cruelty cases, with the suspect now being arrested.

The police said: “The Animal Cruelty Task Force and North District Criminal Investigations Division teamed up to investigate this incident. Detectives watched the footage from this incident, which occurred in February 2022. Detectives observed Fernandes yanking Guido’s neck aggressively by the leash. Fernandes then punches Guido in the face twice, to the point the canine whimpers.

“Fernandes then kicks Guido with such force that the canine spins 180 degrees. Guido escaped Fernandes by running to his crate for safety.”

The police said that the dog was going to be examined by a vet in order to determine the extent of its injuries. The LCSO said: “Lee County Domestic Animal Services responded and took possession of Guido. A full medical examination is pending.”

They added: “Detectives charged Michael Fernandes with Aggravated Animal Cruelty and booked him into the Lee County Jail.”

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said: “It sickens me to watch this lowlife punch and kick a helpless animal.”

He added: “Thanks to the combined efforts of the Animal Cruelty Task Force and North District detectives, Guido is safe and has been rehomed.”