Atlanta police officer arrested for beating dog to death in Douglas County

Written by: A. Smith

Published September 22, 2025 @ 8:01 AM ET

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. – An Atlanta police officer has been arrested after allegedly beating her dog to death last month, authorities said.

Zabria Bridges, 26, was taken into custody Tuesday by Douglasville police on a charge of felony aggravated cruelty to animals following an Aug. 17 incident at the Emblem Riverside Apartments near Lithia Springs. According to her warrant, Bridges caused “severe and prolonged physical pain” to her dog sometime between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., leaving the animal with multiple broken bones and internal bleeding that ultimately caused its death.

Police were initially called to the apartment for a welfare check at about 10 a.m., according to an incident report. A warrant for Bridges’s arrest was issued Monday, and her bond was set at $5,000. Jail records indicate she was no longer in custody.

Bridges has been with the Atlanta Police Department since November 2024, after serving approximately seven months with the Clayton County Police Department. She voluntarily resigned from Clayton County in September 2024.

The Atlanta Police Department confirmed Bridges’s arrest and said she has been placed on administrative leave without pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

“The Atlanta Police Department is aware of the recent arrest of Officer Zabria Bridges. As with any case involving a member of our department, this matter is being taken very seriously. In accordance with department policy, Officer Bridges has been placed on administrative leave without pay pending the outcome of the investigation. The Atlanta Police Department holds its personnel to the highest standards of conduct, both on and off duty,” the department said in a statement.

Douglasville police did not provide further details as the case remains under investigation.