Medford dog walker charged with animal cruelty, police say

A Medford, Massachusetts dog walker is under arrest and facing charges of animal cruelty after a video shared on social media showed him abusing a dog he was hired to take care of, police said.Medford police said officers responded to the area of Fellsway West and Sheridan Avenue around 11 a.m. Sunday after receiving reports of animal cruelty involving a man walking a group of dogs. Witnesses told police that the man struck one of the dogs multiple times in the head and then lifted the dog off of the ground by its collar. Police were able to identify the suspect after viewing the video taken by the witness as Frederick Ingrando, 33, of Medford.Police responded to Ingrando’s home and placed him in custody. The dogs he was hired to walk were removed from the home and transported to the Ocean View Kennels in Revere, where they were being held awaiting pick up by their owners. The dog that was struck was taken to a local veterinarian to be evaluated.Ingrando had listed his dog walking services on the popular Rover app.”We were shocked and disturbed to learn of this abhorrent behavior — there is zero tolerance for this type of treatment of pets in our community. Upon learning of these allegations, our 24/7 Trust and Safety Team suspended the pet care provider’s account and is conducting a full investigation. We will also assist law enforcement to the fullest extent possible,” a spokesperson for Rover said in a statement to WCVB.Ingrando could be arraigned as early as Monday.Medford police said the investigation is still ongoing, and there is a potential for additional charges to be filed.