Dog beaten and left in trash can
Nashua, NH (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Jul 23, 2004
County: Hillsborough

Disposition: Not Charged

Person of Interest: David Newhall

A Black Scottish terrier is in protective custody at an animal shelter after allegedly being beaten and thrown in a trash can by his owner in front of witnesses at the Hooksett northbound rest stop on Interstate 93 Friday, July 23, 2004.

And state police hope people who saw the incident will come forward to help.

State police identified the man who allegedly abused the dog as David Newhall, 35, of Nashua. A press release stated witnesses saw Newhall "throwing his small Scottish terrier to the ground and in a trash container several times."

The trooper who responded "observed several indicators of alcohol impairment," and Newhall was taken into protective custody, according to the press release.

Sgt. Ian Berkeley of the New Hampshire State Police last night said Newhall was held overnight at the county jail and then released yesterday morning. He said the man has not been charged, but an arrest warrant could be forthcoming this week; animal cruelty is a misdemeanor.

Berkeley said state police want to talk to anyone who saw the incident, which happened around 4 p.m. Friday.

"We're looking for anyone else that may have been there at the same time."

Berkeley said he was told that witnesses at the rest area had stated the dog had bitten the man in the face during the beating. "From what I was told, he suffered some facial injuries," he said.

An employee of the northbound rest area's information center said the log entry on the incident states that at approximately 4:50 p.m., "state police were called for a man who was drunk."

"He was witnessed by several people abusing his dog really bad," the log states.

The dog has since been taken to a shelter for protective custody and it wants assurance that this dog will go to a safe place.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact Trooper Sean Faherty at 271-3636.

References

• theunionleader.com

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