By Elizabeth Cloutman

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office is expected to decide within the next several weeks whether to press charges against a Los Altos man for allegedly beating his dog in a Palo Alto park, police said last week.

According to two witnesses, the dog’s owner allegedly picked up the animal after it defecated, threw it to the ground, hit it and sprayed it with a garden hose. Witnesses told police they saw the incident take place about 10:15 a.m., May 31, in Mitchell Park.

Police confiscated the dog and took it to Palo Alto Animal Services for its protection.

The dog, which appeared unharmed, was returned to its owner June 4, an animal services official said.

“The two other dog owners were upset by the manner in which the man was treating the dog,” said Dan Ryan, public information officer for the Palo Alto Police.

He explained that police were not able to arrest the 42-year-old man for animal cruelty as they had not witnessed the man beating the dog, although they found the man still spraying his dog with a hose shortly after talking to the witnesses.

The man told them he was washing off the dog.

Because the police report relies on statements by the witness, Palo Alto police referred the case to the district attorney’s office, which has yet to determine whether to press charges.

“The process can sometimes take several weeks,” Ryan said.

Police didn’t name the man as he hasn’t been charged.