An army veteran has sparked outrage after tattooing his dog and publishing the results on his Facebook page.
Ernesto Rodriguez tattooed his 5-month-old purebred American Pit Bull at his tattoo parlour last week.
Mr Rodriguez inked the dog’s name, Duchess, and an emblem representing her bloodline on his pet’s stomach.
He then posted an image of the tattoo on Facebook, prompting a mass outcry from animal lovers resulting in the local health department being contacted.
Mr Rodriguez, from Pinnacle, North Carolina, defended his actions, claiming the tattoo was no different to horses and cows being branded.
‘You’re not abusing them. You’re just protecting them so they don’t get lost,’ he said, claiming Duchess was asleep when he carried out the ink job.
However, the health department has subsequently issued Mr Rodriguez with a ‘cease and desist’ order, meaning he has to stop tattooing people until he gets proper permits.
No criminal charges have been filed against Mr Rodriguez as it is not illegal for someone to tattoo their pet unless it is considered to be animal cruelty.
