Two College at Brockport students were charged with animal cruelty in connection to a photograph of a dog forced to do a "keg stand" that circulated on social media, WHAM TV reported.
Police arrested 20-year-olds Shane Oliver and Robert Yates after Yates allegedly took a photograph of Oliver holding a four-month-old black dog upside down over a keg.
A keg stand refers to when a person attempts to hold themselves upside down over a beer keg and drink as much as possible.
"The dog had the tap in its mouth and we were concerned by that," Brockport Police Lieutenant Mark Cuzzupoli told WHAM. "People get very upset over incidents like this."
Oliver and Yates allegedly took the picture Saturday during a house party located on Monroe Avenue. The picture made its way to Twitter, which then led the dog warden and police to intervene. Police arrested Yates on Sunday, and Oliver was arrested on Monday. Both have been charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty, WHAM reported.
The dog appears to be unharmed and has been removed from its owner, who was not identified. The dog will also be examined by a veterinarian.
Police said the dog's owner was someone who attended the house party. A resident of the house said the dog was not harmed and the picture was a "joke."
"The puppy hadn't had a sip of alcohol all night," Kyle Karst told WHAM. "It was strictly a joke that went wrong."
But the College at Brockport "was alarmed to learn of this disturbing photo," the school said in a statement obtained by WHAM. "The College is investigating this matter and will take appropriate action once the details surrounding the photo are learned."
Police told WHAM that Yates was sorry for what he did.
"He was very cooperative," Cuzzupoli said. "From speaking with him, I clearly don't think he intended for this to be that way."
Oliver and Yates are scheduled to appear in court in April.
