A man accused of abusing a dog in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood over the summer has a history of mental health and other health issues, his attorney said.

Akeem Pierre was arraigned Thursday in Dorchester District Court on animal cruelty charges, where he pleaded not guilty.

Video allegedly shows dog being abused

Back in June, Assistant District Attorney Nadia Eldemery said Pierre was seen walking a dog named Pluto in Dorchester. A witness told police they saw Pierre whip Pluto with the leash several times on the face and body, along with yelling at the dog and threatening him. The witness, who filmed the incident, also said Pierre lifted Pluto up off the ground by the leash and tugged him down the street. The dog allegedly seemed hesitant to walk with Pierre and appeared anxious.

Eldemery said the witness filmed the incident and sent the video to the MSPCA and police. The video was also posted on social media.

When police spoke with Pierre, he told them he was pet-sitting Pluto and "training" him by tapping him on the nose whenever he did something deemed inappropriate. Police said Pierre did not dispute or deny what he did in the video and did not show any remorse.

Suspect has mental health issues, attorney says

Pierre's defense, attorney Elizabeth Pardy, said he has a long history of medical and mental health issues, which is why he was also in default on an OUI case from 2021. She said he's bipolar, schizophrenic and has sickle cell anemia, along with other issues. She said he underwent a competency evaluation and the doctor determined that he's not competent to stand trial.

Judge Thomas Kaplanes released Pierre on his own recognizance, despite the prosecution requesting $2,000 bail. He was ordered to have no interaction with Pluto, surrender any animals in his custody, report to probation weekly and remain drug and alcohol free. The judge also ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation.

Pluto was taken to a veterinarian and was found to have no injuries. He was then brought to the MSPCA, who confirmed that he's been adopted and is doing well.

"We're grateful to the public for bringing this to our attention, which allowed our officers to quickly start a swift investigation that brought Pluto safely into our care and also secured charges, which are now pending before the courts," said the MSPCA in a statement.