Iowa man accused of beating dog in front of police to stand trial

DES MOINES – An Iowa man who police saw striking a dog with a shoe and pouring water on it as it yelped and whimpered will stand trial in March on a charge of animal torture.

Charles Samuel Urbach, age 27 of Des Moines is scheduled to go on trial on March 2 on a charge of first offense animal torture. A pre-trial conference is set for January 30. He has entered a not-guilty plea.

On the early morning hours of November 12, 2014, Des Moines police officers responded to a call of animal abuse. When they arrived, they met a resident of the apartment building at 5508 Meredith. The caller pointed to a balcony where she believed the abuse was taking place because she heard yelping and whimpering during the past several minutes. The officers watched Urbach on the balcony pouring water in the corner of the balcony and several minutes later the officers heard a dog yelp and whimper loudly. The officers then saw Urbach on the balcony striking the dog several times with a shoe. Officers told him to stop and he went inside the apartment. Officers located him a few minutes later and he was arrested for animal torture.

Ubach, of West Des Moines, denied beating the dog, but in this case, the officers actually saw him do it. Urbach admitted that he poured water on the dog in 19 degree weather and striking the dog for defecating. He has been released from jail pending his court dates.