Horrified witnesses watch as man drowns pit bull

A 21-year-old Fairfield man is being held without bail after a bizarre and horrifying incident involving the drowning of a dog in Fairfield’s Civic Center pond.

A police spokesman says officers were sent to the pond after dispatchers received several calls a little after 10 a.m. Monday reporting that a man was drowning a dog.

Police say numerous witnesses saw the incident, including people at work in City Hall, in the adjoining complex of buildings and firefighters from a nearby fire station.

Witnesses said they saw the man carry the pit bull terrier into the pond. Then, with a chain around the dog’s neck, he repeatedly dunked the dog and held it underwater.

When officers arrived they arrested the man — identified as Bryan Cavanah.

Police say Cavanah admitted to drowning the dog, but said he did not know why he did it.

The dog belonged to Cavanah’s father.

Cavanah was arrested on suspicion of felony cruelty to an animal and violation of his probation. Police say he was on probation after being convicted of assault with a deadly weapon.  Cavanah was booked into Solano County Jail.

After the incident, two officers in a boat provided by the Fairfield Public Works Department recovered the body of the dog from the pond.