Dog thrown out of SUV in front of animal shelter found days later, charges filed

Puppy affectionately named 'Apollo' found days later

Dog thrown from SUV outside NC animal shelter

A North Carolina man is facing two charges after video allegedly shows him throwing a puppy out of a vehicle in front of an animal shelter. Credit: PAWS Bryson City/Local News X /TMX

Charges have been filed against a man who allegedly threw a puppy out of an SUV outside a North Carolina animal shelter.

"This morning even though our gate was open he chose to sling a puppy out the window," PAWS Bryson City posted to Facebook Sept. 8.

Video shows a man opening and closing a passenger door before pointing at the ground and tossing the puppy out of the window seconds later. 

PAWS Bryson City asked the public for help identifying the man as well as locating the puppy.

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dog thrown out of suv in front of animal shelter found days later charges filed

The suspect, identified by Bryson City police as 35-year-old David Paul George Jr., seen in surveillance video pointing down at the ground before allegedly throwing the puppy out the window.  (PAWS Bryson City/Local News X /TMX)

"We wish the person that did this would have done the right thing and drove on through the gates so we could assist them rather than slinging this poor innocent dog out the window," the animal shelter stated.

The man was identified to Fox News Digital as 35-year-old David Paul George Jr. by a Bryson City Police Department officer. 

The puppy, affectionately named "Apollo," was found days later. He was reportedly malnourished, loaded with fleas and parasites, with some small abrasions and two small fractures.

"This little guy has no idea how much he’s worried us all. We’ve all had sleepless nights but that’s nothing compared to what he’s been through," a subsequent Facebook post reads. 

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  • dog thrown out of suv in front of animal shelter found days later charges filed

    Charges have been filed against the man who allegedly threw "Apollo" out of an SUV outside a North Carolina animal shelter. (PAWS Bryson City)

  • dog thrown out of suv in front of animal shelter found days later charges filed

    "Apollo might need to get an agent," PAWS Bryson City joked on social media. (PAWS Bryson City)

  • dog thrown out of suv in front of animal shelter found days later charges filed

    "Apollo" was reportedly malnourished, loaded with fleas and parasites, with some small abrasions and two small fractures (PAWS Bryson City)

The motives behind George's alleged actions are not known, USA Today reports. 

He faces charges of cruelty to animals and abandonment of an animal. He is scheduled to be in a Swain County courtroom Sept. 26, according to WLOS. 

News of what happened to Apollo has garnered so much attention that the shelter has joked that he might need an agent. 

Interest in adopting him is high, but he will need to be at the shelter a few more months before he can be neutered, WLOS states.

Anyone wishing to donate to help PAWS' mission can do so here. 

Authored by Pilar Arias via FoxNews September 17th 2023