A Coweta County man is facing charges of animal cruelty after he allegedly threw a small brown Chihuahua several yards, seriously injuring the dog.
The incident happened on Sept. 25, when witnesses told police Jeffrey Scott Thornton was arguing with neighbors when he grabbed the dog and threw it between 10-15 yards. Witnesses told police Thornton was heavily intoxicated at the time.
Tina Smith, who told police that Thornton was her live-in boyfriend, said the dog appeared to be lifeless.
Police said the dog’s owners had placed the animal in a blanket when they arrived on scene, and said the canine had shallow breathing “and had a very hard time moving his two back legs, back and neck.”
According to the police report, Thornton’s speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and he was unsteady on his feet when officers arrested him.
“When asked if he threw the dog, he stated that he didn’t mean to throw it that far and that he didn’t mean to hurt it,” the report said.
