Assistant District Attorney Gwendolyn Connelly said Joe Lewis Pryor, 74, 412 Whitesville Road, pleaded not guilty to felony animal cruelty Thursday before Circuit Court Judge Charles Robinson.
Pryor is expected to appear in court again in November.
He has remained free on a $2,500 bond since his arrest in February.
District Attorney Richard Minor said first-degree cruelty to a dog or cat is a Class C felony and if convicted, Pryor could face one year and one day or up to 10 years in prison.
According to an incident/offense report filed with the Pell City Police Department, Pryor allegedly told authorities he dragged the dog behind his truck to stop it from chasing cars.
The dog survived its injuries, according to the police reports.
Contact David Atchison at datchison@dailyhome.com.
