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(Image: PH/GOOGLE)

The pooch had been missing for three days before the nine-year-old child spotted the pet at Victoria Ann Fernandez's home, Mascotte Police have said.

Now Fernandez, 57, has been arrested on a charge of animal cruelty after allegedly demanding a $20 ransom for Lucy, WFTV9 reported.

A witness said: "She threw the dog like garbage."

The neighbour accompanied the little girl to the scene when Fernandez refused to return the pet.

(Image: GOOGLE)

The 57-year-old wanted $20 for bathing and feeding the dog when the child confronted her, a Mascotte police report said.

Fernandez, of Lake County, Florida, claimed the money was for an old lady who had looked after Lucy.

The neighbour said: "The little girl was sad. She was broken-hearted.

"Twenty dollars to get the dog back, and the little girl was crying because she didn't have the money."

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Cops were called to the scene when Fernandez "refused to give the pet back".

She became agitated and aggressive before allegedly throwing the animal over the fence, cops said.

"The officer just snatched me, told me he was going to Tase me, handcuffed me, put me in the back of the car and here I am," Fernandez said.

The 57-year-old claimed she never meant to hurt the dog and only dropped the pet after it had bitten her.

(Image: GOOGLE)

She added: "Instead of going in the house and getting my gate key, I picked up the dog.

"I was going to put it over the fence and that's when the dog bit me."

Lucy who had escaped from her owner's fenced-in garden limped after the fall.

But the pet didn't appear to be seriously injured, cops reported.