Lattimer from 'The Program' -- I Don't Abuse Dogs ... I RESCUE THEM!!!

The guy who played Lattimer in the 1993 football flick "The Program" tells TMZ ... his animal cruelty arrest is total BS ... claiming the 25 dogs discovered in his Santa Monica mobile home are "rescues" that he was trying to place with loving families.

TMZ broke the story ... Andrew Bryniarski and his GF were arrested Saturday night after cops say they were neglecting the animals -- noting that several of the Pomeranians appeared sick and starving -- and claiming the home smelled like urine.

But Bryniarski says the cops are lying -- telling us, "Nobody cares for my dogs better than I do, or finds them better homes. These are lies ... and the only thing that smells like piss or maybe sh*t is the story from the Santa Monica Police Department."

Bryniarski tells TMZ ... "We bought the RV as a mobile adoption unit about a week ago to find good, forever homes for the majority of the poms, all of which we have raised ourselves or rescued."

So why would the cops make up the story? Bryniarski claims the City of Santa Monica doesn't want RVs posted up in the nice part of town ... and is doing anything they can to drive them out.

As for the dogs, we've learned all 25 are currently being held at the Santa Monica Animal Shelter ... but Bryniarski tells us he's doing everything in his power to get them back ASAP.