Paul Garcia, 39, of Barnhart has been charged with two felonies for allegedly abusing a dog found Saturday morning (Feb. 9) in a ditch in the Antonia area.
Garcia was charged with one count of animal abuse, a class E felony punishable by a maximum of four years in prison, and one count of armed criminal action, an unclassified felony punishable by a minimum of three years in prison.
Garcia was in custody this afternoon (Feb. 14), the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported.
He was being held at the Jefferson County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
Garcia allegedly used electrical tape and duct tape to bind the dog, wrapping it around his muzzle and legs. Then Garcia allegedly drove the dog to Old Hwy. M and Schneider Road, pulled over to the side of the road and threw it out the window, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
About 12 hours later, on Saturday morning, a deputy patrolling the area found the dog, a black and brown dachshund, the report said.
The dog “was cold, malnourished and appeared to be suffering from a possible concussion,” according to the report.
The temperature was in the 30s when the dog was found, and it had been in the teens the night before, the report said.
The dog was taken to a local animal hospital, where he was treated, the Sheriff’s Office reported today, according to the report.
“We’re happy to say ‘Jimmy,’ as he’s become known around the hospital, is doing much better, the report said.
“Jimmy is not up for adoption right now,” the Sheriff’s Office reported this afternoon. “He’s still in the custody of Jefferson County Animal Control. We’d really like to get him back to his home.”
Anyone with information about the dog or its owners is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 636-797-5515.