A Cleveland man wanted on three separate warrants, including one for cruelty to animals, is now the subject of a widening search after investigators say he posted a social media video showing him feeding a live baby chick to his dogs. Miguel Elliot II faces a growing list of charges that includes dogfighting, domestic violence, endangering children, and fleeing from police during a traffic stop in which children were reportedly in his car.
According to Cleveland 19 News, Elliot is accused of posting the video per Crime Stoppers, and he now faces charges of cruelty against a companion animal along with dog fighting counts. He also has a warrant with the Cleveland Division of Police for domestic violence and endangering children, and he failed to appear in court on related matters. Elliot is described as 6 feet tall and roughly 200 pounds, and he was last known to be staying on the 2300 block of Forestdale Avenue in Cleveland.
The warrants stack up considerably beyond the animal cruelty allegations. Elliot faces two counts of driving while under the influence of alcohol, two counts of criminal damaging, carrying concealed weapons charges, possession of a firearm on liquor permit premises, falsification, obstructing justice, and two counts of obstructing official business tied to endangering children. He is also wanted for allegedly failing to stop for police during a traffic stop during which he was accused of being intoxicated, with children in the car at the time, the outlet reports.
A County-Wide Crackdown on Animal Abuse
Elliot's case lands amid a documented surge in animal cruelty prosecutions across the county. The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office launched a dedicated Animal Crimes Unit in January, led by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Isadora Almaro and Investigator Todd Staimpel, after cruelty cases jumped from 40 in 2024 to 71 in 2025 — a 77.5 percent increase, according to WKYC. Hoodline previously reported on the new unit's formation in response to that spike.
The prosecutor's office holds exclusive jurisdiction across Cuyahoga County to review and charge felony animal cruelty and dogfighting counts under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 959, per the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office. Under Goddard's Law, codified as ORC 959.131, knowingly causing serious physical harm to a companion animal is a fifth-degree felony on a first offense, carrying up to 12 months in prison and fines up to $2,500. Separately, promoting or engaging in dogfighting under ORC 959.16 is a fourth-degree felony for a first offense, punishable by 6 to 18 months in prison, escalating to a third-degree felony for repeat offenders.
Legal Precedent Widens Prosecutors' Reach
Prosecutors also have a broader legal tool than they did a few years ago. In October 2024, the Ohio Supreme Court unanimously ruled 7-0 in State v. Kyles that Ohio's felony companion animal cruelty statute applies to all dogs and cats regardless of whether the animal was formally kept as a pet, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office. That decision, combined with Goddard's Law, gives county prosecutors clear authority to pursue felony charges in cases like Elliot's.
Law enforcement officials have publicly noted that severe animal cruelty frequently overlaps with domestic violence and child endangerment, a pattern reflected in the combination of charges Elliot faces. All allegations tied to the video and the dogfighting counts remain unproven claims until adjudicated in court.
How Tips and Investigations Are Handled
Cleveland's nonprofit humane investigators, separate from the new county unit, handle much of the on-the-ground casework. The Cleveland Animal Protective League's court-appointed Humane Investigators conduct roughly 1,500 animal cruelty and neglect investigations annually across the county and assist police in gathering evidence for prosecution. That work is distinct from the City of Cleveland's Division of Animal Care and Control, which focuses on municipal dog ordinance enforcement and stray impoundment through its own hotline, and from the county prosecutor's felony casework.
Anyone with information on Elliot's whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Cuyahoga County, which accepts anonymous tips and offers rewards of up to $5,000 funded through municipal court fees and private contributions. Tipsters can call 216-252-7463. Elliot's case follows other recent entries on Cuyahoga's Most Wanted list, including a Cleveland man hunted over 22 cruelty counts and another fugitive who vanished after a court no-show tied to starving dogs.
