PORTERVILLE, CA — On the evening of March 25, 2025, the Porterville Police Department was called to a residence on the 300 Block of North Balmoral Street to investigate a report of animal cruelty. Upon arrival, officers discovered a deceased small breed dog in the backyard displaying signs of severe trauma. Evidence and witness statements suggested the dog’s death was caused by repeated trauma against a wooden fence.
The suspect, identified as 25-year-old local resident Paul Stephen Ruiz, had fled the scene before officers arrived but was apprehended shortly after, a few blocks from the incident location, near Mathew Street and Garden Avenue. Ruiz was arrested without incident and has been charged with animal cruelty. He is currently being held without bail at the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office South County Detention Facility.
The Porterville Police Department continues to investigate the incident and urges anyone with additional information to come forward. Contact can be made through the department’s phone at (559) 782-7400 or anonymously via their social media pages.
