Baylor player caught on video whipping and beating his dog
Just as Baylor is attempting to distance itself from the sexual assault scandal that rocked the athletic department this spring, there’s an unrelated incident further damaging the football program.
A video has surfaced that shows Bears wide receiver Ishmael Zamora abusing his dog in June. After a fellow Baylor student saw the video on Snapchat and went to the authorities, Zamora was charged with a Class C misdemeanor and faces up to a $500 fine. Zamora also will be disciplined by the university.
KXXV-TV in Waco obtained the video, which is graphic and can be seen here.
"I lost my temper trying to discipline him," Zamora told KXXV. "I’ve been through training with a dog trainer to help me learn new potty training tips."
Baylor interim head coach Jim Grobe addressed the issue Friday, as reported by the Waco Tribune:
“We’re not going to tolerate it. He’s going to be disciplined by a bunch of people. The city is going to get a piece of him, and the university doesn’t take it lightly. There will be some sanctions from the university. From an athletic department standpoint we’ll do some things. Hopefully, it’s a teaching moment and a learning experience for him. …
“He was just frustrated and spanked his dog for not being house trained. You just can’t do that. He knows that. He loves the dog and takes great care of the dog. Other than losing his temper with the dog, I think he’s taking pretty good care of it.”
After the incident, Zamora sent the dog to live with relatives in Houston.
Zamora caught nine passes for 132 yards and two scores last season and could start in 2016.