An Atlantic City man was charged Monday with animal cruelty after he dumped the body of a dog in the bay, police said.
A police officer from neighboring Absecon, N.J. found the pit bull wrapped in a trash bag after spotting a gold car leaving the scene just off the White Horse Pike in Atlantic City, authorities said.
Investigators said they believe the dog froze to death before being tossed into the bay.
“It’s awful that they should have to live like this. It’s bad to enough to be hungry, but then to be cold too. It’s not very nice,” said Nancy Beall, the head of the Atlantic County SPCA.
Police said they tracked the gold car to a house in the 400 block of N Maryland Ave. Only NBC 10 cameras were there when officers arrested 25-year-old Tyrell Newmons.
Newmons’ fiancee, Shauna Henry, sobbed as an animal control officer confiscated three pit bull puppies and an adult pit bull from the house.
“It’s not fair,” Henry said. “My dogs never did anything to nobody.”
Henry admitted to NBC 10 News that the deceased dog had been left outside in the yard behind her home.
“He must have died [Sunday] night because he bit my daughter and I put him outside three days ago,” she said. When asked if she wanted the pit bull to die, Henry said, “No, I didn’t. I love animals."
Investigators said they had doubts about whether the dog had actually attacked anyone.
“Police, health department, no one was ever called on that. I [find that] very hard to believe,” Atlantic City Police Officer Cindy Rongione said.
The seized dogs were taken to the Atlantic County Animal Shelter in Pleasantville, N.J. Officials said they are aggressive and likely will have to be euthanized.
The grim discovery is similar to an unrelated incident three weeks ago in Millville, Cumberland County. There, the bodies of three young pit bulls were also found in garbage bags.
“It’s just getting crazy. Every day now you’re finding dogs in bags -- mostly the pit bulls,” Rongione said. “They’re abused the most. They’re misunderstood dogs.”
