A woman accused of drowning her dog in the bathtub at her home allegedly told police she did it because it kept barking and biting her.
After the chocolate Labrador was found floating in the water, Margaret Kinsella, 43, is said to have told officers: “I drowned my dog."
A maintenance crew was working on the air conditioning unit at the woman's home in Bradenton, Florida when they heard Kinsella screaming and the dog making noises as it was killed, said police.
As the screaming got louder, one of the workers opened the bathroom door and saw the Labrador floating in the tub, the force wrote in court documents.
The incident happened at about 2pm local time on November 5, said the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Kinsella was detained under the Florida Mental Health Act and later charged with aggravated animal cruelty.
The maintenance workers told police they saw Kinsella take her Labrador out of its kennel for a walk.
When Kinsella returned home with the dog the workers then heard noises coming from the bathroom, News 6 reported.
One of the workers asked her if she needed help, but she refused.
Minutes later, the screaming got louder and the worker went to find out what was happening.
He then saw the dog floating in the tub, said police.
He tried to rescue the dog, but it was already dead.
Kinsella allegedly told officers she was upset with her pet, adding “I drowned my dog” because it was barking and biting her.
She told police she was struggling with anxiety and depression after her husband and father died in the same year, according to court documents.
The widow felt that she had taken out her pent-up frustration on her pet, said police.
