Police in Connecticut made a second arrest in an ongoing investigation into the alleged sexual abuse of a dog.

Damon Mesite, 28, was arrested May 8 at his home, Meriden police said on Facebook. He is charged with aiding and abetting sexual assault of an animal, aiding and abetting sexual assault of an animal by creating or distributing pornography, and unlawful dissemination of an intimate image, the department said.

Mesite was arraigned later that day in Meriden Superior Court and given a $10,000 surety bond, according to police.

“The Meriden Police Department takes allegations of sexual assault involving animals extremely seriously,” police said. “We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation and pursuing appropriate charges to ensure accountability and protect animal welfare.”

Kristiina Kennedy, 45, of Meriden, was previously charged with sexually assaulting her dog and creating pornography of the alleged assault. She turned herself in to police April 29.

Weeks before, authorities launched an investigation when someone reported that Kennedy had allegedly sent them three pornographic videos showing her making sexual contact with her 2-year-old pitbull mix. Investigators searched Kennedy’s home the next day and seized her electronic devices.

Kennedy surrendered her dog to animal control officers. The dog was later examined by a veterinarian and found to be uninjured.

When detectives searched Kennedy’s devices, they allegedly found images and videos suggesting “prohibited sexual contact” with her two cats. Kennedy claimed that the acts depicted were “taken out of context” and that the charges represent a “biased misinterpretation of footage.”

Detectives and animal control officers soon became concerned for the safety of Kennedy’s cats and took them away from her. Further details about Mesite’s connection to Kennedy have not been released.