Warning: The video included above may be disturbing to viewers. Discretion is advised.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A man is facing animal cruelty charges for throwing a dog down a flight of stairs at an apartment complex in Grand Rapids. News 8 was told the dog is OK.
Opening the door to a stairwell to a building on Ionia Avenue, a man throws Cairo the dog down a flight of stairs. Cairo’s body collides with the cinderblock wall before falling down several steps. The man points to the dog as it scrambles to get back on its feet motioning for Cairo to keep going.
“It makes me feel horrible, horrible for that animal that doesn’t have a voice, horrible for an animal that can’t speak up and ask for help,” said Mindy Bolton.
Bolton lives in the same building on Ionia avenue. She has a 2-year-old dog named Stella.
“Some people think it’s just an animal. No, they have feelings too,” said Bolton.
Several surveillance videos were sent to authorities, which was key in this case.
“When you don’t have (the video), it calls into question what somebody said they saw. So videos are always easier to have a case,” said Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker.
After throwing Cairo, surveillance also caught which apartment the man went into. According to a court affidavit, a property manager told police who rented the unit. Inside the apartment, police found a woman with a black and white pit bull named Cairo. She told authorities it was her boyfriend in the video throwing Cairo.
Dog owners like Bolton say animal abuse can be prevented.
“If that animal is a burden on you, find someone who can take care of it and I think there should be tougher punishments on animal abuse. I think they should take it too seriously,” said Bolton.
“Felony, we are charging him with a felony, actually. Torture is a four year felony,” said Becker.
According to the affidavit, authorities were not able to contact the man.
In June, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office announced that Kent County Animal Control would be under its jurisdiction, run by a specially trained team.
“This is probably one of the first major cases since that merge has taken place where you have the sheriff’s department taking over the point on this,” said Becker.
Becker said having animal control as part of the sheriff’s department has its advantages, especially in animal abuse cases like this.
“You have a little bit more idea of criminal charges … we’ve been working with the animal shelter now in the sheriff’s department on a regular basis on these types of cases for a while so I think we’re responding much better,” said Becker.
News 8 has reached out to the woman, her boyfriend, and the property manager of the building for comment, but have not received a response.