Florida mailman arrested after video shows him allegedly pepper-spraying 3 dogs

A Florida mailman, identified as 47-year-old Sian Andre Spence, was arrested by Lauderhill police on Wednesday, Jan. 28 and booked into jail on three counts of animal cruelty, according to Broward County Sheriff’s Office arrest records reviewed by PEOPLE. He is being held on $3,500 bond.

The arrest came two days after Local 10 aired surveillance footage that allegedly shows the postal worker dousing three Shih Tzu-poodles with pepper spray while making a mail delivery on Jan. 2.

The dogs’ owner, Bianca Green, told Local 10 the mailman claimed her dogs tried to bite him, but she did not believe him, saying her small dogs "can’t do anything other than bark." She also said he sprayed them before he approached the mailbox and that the dogs reacted by "digging their face in the dirt."

Green told the station, "I didn’t expect [the arrest] to happen like this and so quickly," and said the development brings her relief, Local 10 reported.

The United States Postal Service, where Spence has been employed for five years, said his "current employment status is pending an internal review," Local 10 reported. It was not clear from reports whether he has been terminated since the arrest.

PEOPLE reported it is unclear if Spence has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on his behalf. PEOPLE also reached out to Lauderhill police and the USPS for comment on Jan. 29 but did not immediately hear back.

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