LEWISTON — A dog that police say was badly beaten during an attack on a man inside a Pine Street apartment Monday was recovering from its injuries Friday.

Police said the dog, believed to be a border collie-shepherd mix, was beaten when a group of men and one woman attacked a 37-year-old local man who had been lured to an apartment at 73 Pine St.

Chris Sanders, Lewiston’s animal control officer, rushed the dog to the emergency animal clinic Friday. It was initially believed the animal would need to be euthanized, but it was successfully treated by local veterinarians and is recovering.

“I spent some good time with him today; he’s doing well on medication,” Sanders said Friday night. “I think he tried to thank me a little bit by giving me all the dog kisses and should make a full recovery.

“He’s probably the nicest dog I’ve ever met, so loving and so caring,” Sanders said. “It was really sad to see him go through what must have been a nightmare.”

The dog, owned by the man who lives in the apartment where the attack took place, remained under veterinary care Friday night.

The 37-year-old man who was the focus of the attack was kicked, punched, pistol whipped and burned by the assailants, police said. He went to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

They also assaulted the man who lives in the apartment, the owner of the dog.

According to a court affidavit, it was the dog owner who lured the 37-year-old victim to the apartment where the attack occurred. That man, 55-years-old, told police the group had forced him to call his friend and invite him over. 

Zachery “Pee Wee” Paradis, 44, and Jennifer Dionne, 42, were each charged with kidnapping, elevated aggravated assault, aggravated assault and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.

Police said it appeared that Paradis delivered most of the beatings. He remained jailed Friday.

Also charged in the case with the same crimes was 31-year-old Nicholas Coy, who was tracked down and arrested two days after the incident was reported.

The future of the injured dog was not known Friday night. It was unclear whether it would be returned to the owner.

The case remains under investigation.