Sounds like the cops were forced to make the arrest.
My suggestion: insist on trial by jury. Call the car owner up to the stand as a hostile witness in your defence.
Later sue in civil court.
Cops are never “forced” to make an arrest. Sometimes they can exercise judgment. In fact, in this case, they should have told the car owner:
“Fine, we’ll arrest that guy, and also arrest you for cruelty to animals. Tell us how you want this to go.”