Man charged after allegedly punching dog in Nanaimo, B.C.

Nanaimo RCMP provided these images of a man alleged to have punched and kicked a dog. (Handout)

A 36-year-old man in Nanaimo, B.C., is facing criminal charges after allegedly kicking and punching his dog while walking in the city’s downtown.

Police say the attack on the animal occurred in July, when a witness allegedly saw the man beating the dog in the 200 block of Selby Road.

The witness took photos of the suspect, which were later published by the RCMP as investigators sought to identify him.

“The witness called out to the man, telling him to stop, and the man came towards the witness aggressively, demanding to see their phone,” the Nanaimo RCMP said in a statement after the suspect was identified and arrested in August.

“The witness told the man they weren’t recording the interaction, which helped de-escalate the situation.”

Multiple people came forward to identify the man, police said in a statement Tuesday announcing that charges had been approved in the case.

“The incident was also shared on social media and garnered significant interest from the public, which assisted investigators in locating the suspect,” Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson Const. Gary O’Brien said in the statement.

Police allege that the suspect also assaulted a police officer while he was being arrested.

The Nanaimo RCMP seized the German shepherd involved in the incident and the dog was later surrendered to the care of the B.C. SPCA.

Online court records show Duane Tyler Vallee, born in 1988, was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday on charges of causing unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal, uttering threats and willfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer.