A dog, punched last month by its owner at a Kent bus stop, has recovered and remains in the Regional Animal Services of King County shelter in Kent.

Reynaldo Miramontes Pajarito, the owner of the dog, will face a second-degree animal cruelty charge on Oct. 23 in Kent Municipal Court after city prosecutors filed the charge on Oct. 2., according to Tami Perdue, city chief prosecuting attorney, and court officials.

The case is in municipal court rather than King County Superior Court because it is a gross misdemeanor and not a felony.

“The crime is punishable by a potential of 364 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine,” Perdue said. “If convicted, the defendant could also be placed on probation for up to 24 months.”

Several readers took interest in the dog after the Kent Reporter published its police blotter last week about a man getting arrested for investigation of animal cruelty charges for punching the dog as many as a dozen times while sitting at a bus stop on the West Hill along Pacific Highway South near South 260th Street.

Kent Police cited and released Pajarito on Sept. 21 after he reportedly punched the dog. An officer took the dog to the county animal shelter for care and treatment.

“The dog was examined by our vet staff on intake, has had subsequent rechecks and has not shown any lasting effects of the ordeal he went through,” said Sgt. Chelsea Eykel, of Regional Animal Control, in an email. “He is doing well here and is a nice little dog.”

Eykel said the owner was issued a 15-day notice to post bond. If he fails to post bond or petition the court for the animal’s return, the dog will become property of the county shelter.

“At that point he will be neutered and placed up for adoption,” Eykel said.

The dog is a small terrier mix and approximately seven months old, she said.

An officer located Pajarito sitting at the bus stop with the dog next to him trembling with its tail between its legs. The man told police he owned the dog so he could hit it if he wanted.

A witness told police Pajarito used his fists to punch the dog 10 to 12 times. At one point, the man picked the dog up by its neck off the ground, put the dog on his lap and punched it some more.