A routine probation check led to a Coweta County man’s arrest on an animal cruelty charge after police said they found a dead puppy chained to a tree in his backyard.
Patdrious Devoshun Meriwether, 26, of Newnan, faces one count of aggravated animal cruelty and one count of violating the Georgia Firearms and Weapons Act, Newnan police spokeswoman Ashley Copeland said. He was booked into the Coweta County Jail on Wednesday and released Thursday on $7,900 bond.
According to Newnan police, authorities visited Meriwether’s home as part of a planned probation compliance check by the Department of Community Supervision. The county officials conducting the check were alerted about the dead puppy when they arrived at the home, Copeland said. Officers located it in the backyard, chained to a tree and secured with a rusty padlock.
“The puppy was in an obvious state of malnutrition, with visible ribs and no indication of muscle or fat on her body,” Newnan Deputy Police Chief Mark Cooper said. “Dirt and leaves were found in her food bowl and the water bowl was out of reach due to the chain wrapped around the puppy’s head.”
Investigators said they believe the puppy had been malnourished for at least a month. The body was taken to the University of Georgia for a necropsy.
Meriwether admitted to being the owner of the puppy when questioned by officers at the scene, Copeland said. According to police, Meriwether said, “It’s just a dog.”
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