A woman accused of chasing down and repeatedly kicking a small dog in Lowell pleaded not guilty when she faced a judge on Tuesday.
Kimberly Hernandez, 30, appeared in Lowell District Court after she was charged with two counts of animal cruelty for an incident that was caught on surveillance camera on Friday, Dec. 29.
The video, captured just after 2 a.m., showed a woman repeatedly kicking a small dog at an apartment building before the animal appeared to scamper away.
On Tuesday, prosecutors said additional footage showed Hernandez grab the dog by its neck, throwing the animal, then hitting it.
Officials said Hernandez admitted to them that she had been drinking the night of the incident and that she reached a boiling point before the alleged animal abuse.
When shown the footage, prosecutors said the 30-year-old became emotional, and that she said she had taken out her frustration on the dog.
Hernandez was later released on $5,000 bail. She was also ordered to surrender any pets she owns and to not have contact with any other animals.
As of Tuesday, officials said the abused dog is currently in custody of animal control.
