Woman arrested for kicking, pulling dog off the ground by leash in Tarpon Springs

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - Tarpon Springs police arrested a woman after a video of her abusing a dog went viral.

Michelle Sieber, 26, is charged with one count of animal cruelty.

According to investigators, she was arrested after a video surfaced that appears to show her kicking the dog and roughly pulling the animal by its leash while walking through a parking lot.

Vincent Minutello was dropping his girlfriend off Friday morning when he saw the abuse taking place and recorded it on his cellphone.

At one point, Sieber could be seen picking the dog up by its leash while the dog appears to choke and gag. 

"Hey, can you go a little easy on that dog please?" Minutello asked Sieber in the video.

"You want him?" Sieber replied with a laugh.

"No, but you can't do what you're doing. You're choking him, you're hanging your dog!" Minutello said.

After a few words were exchanged, Sieber got into her camper with the dog.

Minutello reported the abuse to police and showed them the video, which he had posted to his Facebook page.

Sieber was arrested Friday afternoon in Clearwater and booked into the Pinellas County Jail.

Sieber's dogs, including the one in the video, are now in the hands of animal control, according to deputies. Investigators said the dog did not suffer any injuries and appears to be OK.