A 21-year-old Elkhart man was arrested after police say he stabbed a dog during an argument with his girlfriend.

Elkhart police were called to the 2900 block of Greentree Street late Monday night on the report of a domestic dispute.

When they arrived, they found the the dog suffering life-threatening injuries.

The animal was taken to an emergency veterinary clinic. The girlfriend told police her boyfriend, Martreze Lemons, 21, stabbed the dog with a small knife.

Lemons claimed the dog attacked him, according to 95.3 MNC’s reporting partners at ABC 57.

Lemons was arrested for possession of marijuana and will likely face a charge of cruelty to an animal, ABC 57 reported.