Shannon Lee Cantrell and dog he allegedly abused.
A dog is alive but “clearly” shaken up after a man allegedly threw the canine off a bridge to fall dozens of feet — twice.
Authorities in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, identified the defendant as Shannon Lee Cantrell, 43, and allege that he committed the offense in plain view.
“On Monday, October 3, 2022, Spartanburg County Environmental Enforcement Officers responded to a call of someone tossing a dog from a bridge located on Highway 11 in the Fingerville area of Spartanburg County,” the county wrote.
Officers said they spoke with a witness at the site and searched the area below the bridge. They claimed to find Cantrell putting the dog in a chokehold.
“Officers removed the male, brown-and-white pitbull-type canine,” authorities said. “Cantrell stated that ‘witches’ told him to throw the dog from the bridge. The dog was thrown twice. Cantrell told officers that he was the owner of the canine and released ownership to Spartanburg County.”
Officers said they measured the distance from the bridge to the ground. It was 34 feet, authorities said.
The 1-year-old dog was wet from being in the water below, but did not have any visible injuries, police said.
“However, the canine was clearly shaken by the incident and was transported to Greenville County Animal Care for assessment,” authorities said.
The county said Environmental Enforcement got an arrest warrant under the law for ill treatment of animals — state statute 47-1-40 (B):
(B) A person who tortures, torments, needlessly mutilates, cruelly kills, or inflicts excessive or repeated unnecessary pain or suffering upon an animal or by omission or commission causes these acts to be done, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be punished by imprisonment of not less than one hundred eighty days and not to exceed five years and by a fine of five thousand dollars.
Cantrell was taken to the Spartanburg County Detention Center, where he remains locked up under a $5,000 bond. He faces a count of animal cruelty.
[Images via Spartanburg County]
