GREENVILLE, S.C. (WHNS) – A man has been charged after a picture of a dog hanging from a Greenville, South Carolina balcony gained attention on social media.
Johnathan Bragg of the Greenville Police Department said Tyler Austin Smith was cited with “animal care-general,” which is a city ordinance. Bragg said Smith is the son of the dog owner. He said the owner was out of town.
One Facebook user posted the photo with the caption: “The owner of this dog lowers him via harness from a second floor condo to let him go to the bathroom. You can see him in the air in front of the bridge. The police and Animal Control have been notified and are investigating, but we are trying to get it out there on Facebook as well. Please share this status so that we can help this poor puppy!”
The city ordinance reads in part:
“No owner or keeper shall fail to provide such person’s animals with sufficient wholesome food; clean, fresh water; proper shelter and protection from the weather; veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering; and humane treatment. An owner or keeper of animals shall at all times maintain a clean shelter and living area, free of accumulated waste and debris so that the animal shall be free to walk or lie down without coming in contact with any waste or debris.
“Proper shelter includes a structure appropriately sized for the animal to stand or lie in a normal manner. The structure must adequately protect animal from harsh weather; at a minimum, it shall have a roof, four sides, and an opening for ingress and egress.”
