A Petaluma woman has been arrested after punching and strangling her dog. On the night of September 14th, Cotati police responded to a report of a woman assaulting a small dog in a storage facility in the 400 block of Houser Street. When they arrived, the woman backed away from officers and refused to give a name. She was later identified as 54-year-old Melissa Schmidt and was arrested on suspicion of a felony charge of animal cruelty and misdemeanor resisting arrest. Rohnert Park Animal Services has taken possession of the dog.