Mitcham, 33, of Linden, N.C., was charged with a crime against nature, a felony. He appeared before a magistrate at the county jail on Jan. 9 and was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond.
Debbie Tanna of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office said the incident occurred Jan. 2, when Mitcham's next-door neighbor, who also is Mitcham's landlord, opened the door to his mobile home and saw him attacking her dog.
The dog, a shepherd-Lab mix weighing 60 pounds, was taken to
Cumberland County Animal Control , where a veterinarian recovered a DNA sample that Tanna said matched Mitcham.
"There's no way he can sidestep this," Tanna told the Associated Press.
Animal Control director Dr. John Lauby said the examination showed no physical injury to the dog. He said he doubts the attack will leave lasting trauma.
"With dogs, the dominant animal breeds with the others, so I don't think there will be psychological
