A charge of animal cruelty is expected to be filed against a teen from Pottsville after SPCA officials said he stomped on a dog.
SPCA officials near Pottsville said the owner of a four-month-old puppy named Bear gave up the animal after a teen kicked and stomped on it, resulting in at least one broken leg.
Pottsville police have told SPCA officials they will file charges against the teen.
"I am thinking the dog was probably stomped on because for a child to do that kind of damage but it was two feet, back leg and front leg so it was pretty severe," said Jeanine Choplick of the Hillside SPCA.
Bear is recovering from his injuries at a Reading animal hospital.
"We would love to accept donations for Bear's care. His surgery was $4,000. That is a lot for a shelter that only runs on donations, but when you look into his eyes and see how he was treated so horribly we had to help him," said Tricia Moyer of Hillside SPCA.
The shelter is is the only one in Schuylkill County. It is also no kill shelter. Officials worry mounting costs and an over population of dogs and cats could some day change their policy to a kill facility.
"It's always a possibility and that's what keeps us awake at night because none of us want to turn into a kill shelter. That's the last thing that all of us who work here want to ever think about," Moyer added.
For more information about Bear or to make a donation to Hillside SPCA go to its website.
