Resident Says Meter Reader Abused Her Small Dog In Visit To Her Home

PANORAMA CITY (CBSLA.com) — Jaclyn Kerrigan say her miniature pinscher Jimmy Choo went through the worst trauma of his life earlier this week when he was abused by a meter reader from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

"The man was holding an umbrella and he took a swat at my dog, missed the first time and then went back and hit him again, struck him," Kerrigan said.

The abuse Tuesday didn't stop there, Kerrigan said, as the worker cursed at the dog and kicked him. "It wasn't just a little kick, it was like a stomp, while he was laying there subdued," she said.

The dog had tried to sniff the man's shoes and growled at him only after the worker struck him, Kerrigan said. After X-rays and medication totaling about $300, Jimmy Choo is back home recovering with bruises and pain.

"I think they should absolutely fire this man, and they should do better checks on people," Kerrigan said.

LADWP officials sent a statement saying they've received the complaint and are investigating. They wouldn't give any other details, but added: "We take the safety of our employees, customers and their pets very seriously. Our meter readers encounter animals on a daily basis as part of their job and often do so without incident."

Kerrigan said she has contacted the Los Angeles Police Department's animal task force. "They basically said since my dog wasn't on a leash, right outside my front door, there's nothing they can do about it since he was loose."

She said she is sharing her experience as much as she can, "just make sure this never happens again."