A 20-year-old Upper Hanover Township man is in Montgomery County jail on charges he stabbed his family's pet dog multiple times, killing it, during a dispute with his father. 

        State police have charged Dominick W. Bova, of the 2300 block of Broomstick Road, with animal cruelty, terroristic threats, simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct, all misdemeanors, in connection with a an incident that occurred around 1 p.m. Feb. 17. 

        Court documents state Bova and his father were involved in a verbal argument at their home when Bova spit on his father and grabbed a kitchen knife off the counter with an 8-inch blade.  Police said Bova then left the home with the knife and picked up the family's dog outside and repeatedly stabbed it.

        After stabbing the dog, Bova reportedly threw it into a pond on the property.

        Bova's father told police he was unable to rescue the dog because he feared for his safety.  He said Bova was staring at him while he stabbed the animal.

        Authorities said Bova fled the scene in a Buick sedan.  He was seen in a Pennsburg business, shirtless and bloody, police said, and was later located on Klinerd Road in the area of St. Philip Neri Church.

        He was taken into custody by state police at the scene, where he admitted to stabbing the animal.  Police said he showed police where he discarded the dog and the knife used in the crime.  Upper Perk, Marlborough and New Hanover police departments assisted at the scene.

        Bova was arraigned by Judge Catherine Hummel Fried of Red Hill District Court, who set bail at $50,000 cash.  He was remanded to Montgomery County Correctional Facility.  A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for March 2 at 9:30 a.m. in Red Hill.