A Levittown man is facing felony charges for allegedly strangling, suffocating and torturing his family pet.

Nassau police arrested 56-year-old Michael Gallagher, of Silversmith Lane, after neighbors claimed to witness him trying to strangle his 11-year-old German shepherd named "Bella" with a plastic zip-tie that was around her neck.

The neighbors told police that Gallagher put the dog in a plastic bag and beat the bag with a shovel.

"I screamed at him to stop and said what are you doing what are you doing? He said the dog is sick he wanted to put it out of its misery," said neighbor Lisa Mabanta.

Neighbors say Gallagher eventually walked away, and it was other neighbors who helped free the dog from the garbage bag and the zip tie. 

The dog was taken to a local veterinary hospital, but had to be euthanized due to the extent of her injuries.

Gallagher is being held on $300,000 bond or $150,000 cash.