PORTERVILLE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A Porterville man was arrested after allegedly abusing his family's small pet dog to the point of death, the Porterville Police Department announced. Police say on Tuesday at around 7:30 p.m., officers responded to an animal cruelty call in the 300 block of North Balmoral Street. Upon arrival, responding officers reported a small breed dog dead in the backyard of a home, suffering from obvious trauma. After gathering information and assessing the scene, it was determined the animal was thrown against a wooden fence several times. Investigators identified 25-year-old Paul Stephen Ruiz as the suspect in the death of the family pet. Ruiz had initially fled the scene on foot before officers arrived, but he was eventually arrested near Mathew Street and Garden Avenue. 25-year-old Paul Stephen Ruiz (image courtesy of the Tulare County Sheriff's Office) Officers report Ruiz was booked on suspicion of charges related to animal cruelty and is being held without bail. Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Porterville Police Department at 559-782-7400. ...read more read less