Dog thrown off second store balcony Flint, MI (US) Incident Date: Thursday, Aug 16, 2007 County: Genesee Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Charges: Felony CTA Alleged: Patricia Beardsley

Case ID: 12234 Classification: Throwing Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in MI (US) Abuse was retaliation against animal's bad behavior Child or elder neglect Login to Watch this Case

Neighbors testified they were shocked to see a Flint woman toss her roommate's small, purebred Pomeranian dog off a second-floor balcony. Sadie Mae, the 10-month-old, 9-1/2 pound animal, landed with a thud and was obviously injured, witnesses said at a preliminary examination.

Now, Patricia Beardsley, 34, will stand trial in the incident.

Flint District Judge William H. Crawford II scheduled a Sept. 10, 2007 circuit court arraignment for Beardsley, who is charged with killing or torturing an animal, a 4-year felony, and attempted killing/torturing an animal, a 2-year felony.

Rita Mattson told assistant Genesee County Prosecutor Janet McLaren she was at a neighbor's house on Maplewood Avenue about 1 p.m. Aug. 16, 2007, when Beardsley, who lived next door, went out on her second floor balcony screaming for her roommate, who owned the pet but was not at home.

Mattson said Beardsley was yelling that her young daughter had possibly eaten Sadie Mae's feces, or that Beardsley had stepped in a mess left by the animal. She said Beardsley was holding the small animal by the nape of its neck and then tossed it 10 feet in the air and off the balcony, which is at least another 20-foot drop. Tim Myers, Mattson's boyfriend, said he went to aid the pet until police and animal control officials arrived. Dr. Lucian Blajan, a veterinarian at Eascor Animal Hospital, said X-rays showed the dog had an injured hip joint near its left rear leg. He said the dog was undergoing surgery to repair the injury and Blajan expects a full recovery.

Josie M. Tedhams, who owns Sadie Mae, said she moved in with Beardsley several weeks earlier but had gone to fix her car when the incident occurred.

Attorney Stephen M. Lazzio, who represents Beardsley, objected to his client standing trial, saying she was a "panicked mother" who was concerned about her child getting into the dog feces and "over-reacted." Crawford denied reducing Beardsley's $5,000 cash bond, saying she has a prior misdemeanor assault conviction, involvement with Protective Services and mental health treatment. Beardsley is being held in the Genesee County Jail.

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References

MLive News - August 30, 2007

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