Georgia woman accused of throwing injured puppy into ocean

The owner of a dog found injured at a Georgia beach last week was charged with a felony Tuesday after police said she threw the puppy into the ocean.

The dog, who later had to be euthanized, was curled up in the sand and “nursing an obvious injury” when cops discovered him Sept. 12 on Tybee Island, an island town near Savannah, according to police. Witnesses who had called 911 reported seeing a woman throw the animal into the water and leave the scene, authorities said.

Police tracked down the dog’s owner, 27-year-old Candy Marban, and she told them the puppy had been injured in an accident about a week earlier. The woman also said she had not brought him to a veterinarian because she could not afford to pay for medical care.

Police issued her a citation for cruelty to animals and took the puppy into protective custody, authorities said. After an examination, the veterinarian determined that the extent of the animal’s injuries was so severe that he would have to be euthanized, according to the Tybee Island Police Department.

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Following the dog’s death, police obtained a warrant charging Marban with a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals. But they could not immediately locate her and asked for the public’s help in tracking her down, leading to an overwhelming response on social media.

A wanted poster featuring a photo of Marban was shared about 2,500 times on Facebook, and the woman was found and arrested Tuesday without incident.

“The men and women of the Tybee Island Police Department deeply appreciate the help of the social media community and their passion for animal welfare,” the agency said in a news release.

Marban was being held on $5,700 bond at the Chatham County Jail, online inmate records show.