Two Juveniles Charged With Setting Pit Bull Ablaze in Baltimore

Two juveniles have been charged with setting a pit bull on fire, Baltimore police say.

Officer Troy Harris, a spokesman for the Baltimore Police Department, said Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld will announce the arrests during an afternoon news conference on Monday.

The dog — identifed by Harris as a female pit bull — was reportedly rescued by a Baltimore police officer on May 27, but later died despite medical treatment.

Harris declined to identify those arrested due to their age. It remains unclear exactly what charges they face.

Martin Mersereau, director of the cruelty casework division of the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, said he hopes the juveniles receive maximum penalties for the incident if convicted.

"We're thrilled to hear [of the arrests]," Mersereau told FOXNews.com. "People who abuse animals rarely do it once and almost never stop there."

Mersereau said abuse of animals is common among serial killers and that FBI officials frequently use such crimes to gauge the potential threat of suspected and known criminals.

"The biggest mistake here is that people call this a 'boys being boys' thing," Mersereau said. "I do hope they're charged with felonies for malicious torture."

Penalties for felony animal abuse in Maryland include up to $5,000 in fines and three years imprisonment, he said.