CHESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI – A Chesterfield Township woman's former boyfriend faces animal torture charges for allegedly stabbing her pit bull mix, Harley-Quinn, nine times after the dog defecated on the floor, police said in a statement Thursday. Patrick Edward Oconnor, 24, of Chesterfield Township, was arraigned on a four-year felony charge of animal torture-killing in 42-2 District Court in New Baltimore Wednesday. He was arrested earlier this week on unrelated misdemeanor domestic violence charges, police said.

Oconnor became the focus of an animal-abuse investigation on Feb. 1 after his former girlfriend dropped the badly injured Harley, as the female dog is known, off at the Advanced Animal Clinic in Clinton Township. Harley had nine life-threatening stab wounds, including one that punctured her lung and required emergency surgery, police said. The dog's owner told the vet clinic staff how the dog had been injured, police said, but feared retaliation from her ex-boyfriend and refused to name him.The woman relinquished ownership of Harley, and one of the veterinarians who saved the dog's life plans to adopt her.

Oconnor was arrested Feb. 10 by Chesterfield Township police for allegedly assaulting a 29-year-old acquaintance in the 28100 of 23 Mile. Investigators questioned Oconnor about the dog's injuries, and he reportedly said "I did what I did" and admitted "he had an alcohol and anger management problem." "Investigators believe Patrick Oconnor was upset that the dog had defecated on the floor in his apartment, provoking his stabbing attack on the dog," police said.

Oconnor remains in custody at the Macomb County Jail on $20,000 bond. The domestic violence charge carries a 93-day sentence.