Boynton Beach Man Arrested After Surveillance Shows He Abusing Service Dog

Overview

• Boynton Beach police arrested 52-year-old Juan Latrez Poole on Monday and charged him with felony animal cruelty; he is being held at the Palm Beach County Jail on a $30,000 bond.
• Surveillance footage and eyewitness reports captured two separate attacks on a black Labrador wearing a red service vest, showing the dog being lifted, slammed and struck on Sept. 9 and Sept. 10.
• Investigators recovered the videos during an area canvass and a witness identified Poole in a photo lineup, which police say provided key evidence for the arrest.
• The dog, named Rex, was confirmed to be a service dog but not Poole’s and was transferred to Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control, where he remains in custody and is available for rehoming pending the legal process.
• Body-camera footage shows Poole denying the abuse, neighbors expressed shock after viewing the videos, and the case highlights how public surveillance and witness cooperation can drive animal-cruelty prosecutions.