Tuesday evening, Crossville police responded to Dollar General Market for reports of a man armed with a knife and threatening to stab a dog on the sidewalk, and appearing to be abusing the dog.

When they arrived, they found 55-year-old Jerry Dale McCuistin sitting with a large hunting knife in his lap and a small puppy on the sidewalk, eating a can of cat food at McCuiston’s feet. The puppy did not appear to be injured in any way and looked quite healthy.

McCuistin explained he used the knife to open the canned cat food and, according to the police report, “stated he loved the puppy and would not harm it due to that being the only thing he has that he loves.”

A check through dispatch revealed McCuistin had an active warrant in Cumberland County for failure to appear on charges of disorderly conduct, vandalism, resisting arrest and non-emergency use of the 911 system.

McCuistin was taken into custody; the puppy was left in the custody of the person who had given it to McCuistin.