Police: Dog kicked, ribs broken by groomer

Editor's Note: This story was originally published on July 29, 2016, and was updated on Aug. 1, 2016, to add a link for clarification on charges against Lucas Van Orden V.

Iowa City police say a dog suffered multiple injuries, including broken ribs, after being kicked by a worker at a local veterinary center.

Lucas Van Orden V, 22, told police he kicked the dog while grooming it July 9, according to a police complaint. The dog's injuries include rib fractures and bruising of the lungs, according to the complaint.

Van Orden was employed at Creature Comfort Veterinary Center in northeast Iowa City.

The complaint says the dog, whose owners were not identified, was kept under observation in a pet emergency center for multiple nights after the incident.

Why was charge for kicked dog not more severe?

Van Orden was arrested Thursday and charged with animal neglect, a simple misdemeanor, and was issued a citation. His initial court date is set for Aug. 25.

The veterinary center provided the following statement:

"The owners and management of Creature Comfort Veterinary Center are aware of an animal injury during grooming and subsequent citation for animal neglect issued by the city of Iowa City against the groomer. Any animal injury is of paramount concern and is not tolerated in any respect. Immediately upon learning of this incident, the groomer was discharged from his employment. We will have no further comment while the legal issues are being resolved."

Reach Holly Hines at hhines2@press-citizen.com or at 319-887-5414 and follow her on Twitter at @HollyJHines.