Riverside dog doused in gasoline

A Riverside man has been charged with animal cruelty after dousing a Shih Tzu with gasoline in Harrington Park, authorities said.

Daniel Maskill, 53, was charged with a misdemeanor count of animal cruelty by Riverside Police following the incident Tuesday.

He was also charged with a misdemeanor count of assault for threatening to set the dog’s owner on fire, authorities said.

According to authorities, Maskill was carrying a full gas can through the park on his way home when he encountered the dog.

Maskill told authorities the dog — which averages about 9 pounds — was off the leash, and intimidating, so he dumped gas on it and threatened to light it on fire.

The dog’s owner, a 56-year-old man from Lyons, exchanged words with Maskill, authorities said, before police arrived on the scene to break it up.

The owner of the dog was also issued a citation for not having his dog on a leash in the park, authorities said.