Dog dropped from second floor balcony Fort Lauderdale, FL (US) Incident Date: Thursday, Dec 9, 1999 County: Broward Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: Leo Joseph Schumway

Case ID: 3283 Classification: Throwing Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in FL (US) Abuse was retaliation against animal's bad behavior Login to Watch this Case

A Fort Lauderdale man was charged with animal cruelty after his blond German shepherd/Laborador retriever fell 25 feet from the balcony of his apartment Thursday night.

According to police, Leo Joseph Schumway, 41, of the Crystal Inn Apartments, 2949 N. Federal Hwy, in Fort Lauderdale, dropped his dog from his second-floor apartment because he was upset that the animal had urinated on the carpet.

The dog, Snapper, was euthanized shortly after the incident because of internal injuries.

Field training Officer Mike VonStetina said Schumway admitted the crime. However, as Schumway was led away in handcuffs by police Thursday night he yelled obscenities at reporters and said the dog slipped out of his hands while he was discipling her.

"It was an accident," said a woman who refused to give her name, but identified herself as Schumway's girl friend. "The people here don't understand that we lost a dog. We took care of that dog. Accidents happen, you know!"

Neighbors at the complex don't believe it was an accident.

They said Schumway constantly kicked Snapper and pelted her with a leash.

Eddie Lyons who lives at the complex said he saw Schumway slam Snapper against steps at the building last Sunday.

"I should've stopped it then," Lyons said. "(Snapper) would lick you to death. She wouldn't kill a flea. I can't believe a person could mistreat their pets like this."

Erika Parra, a litle girl who was playing with friends behind Schumway's home, said she saw Schumway violently shaking the 8-month old dog over his back balcony before tossing Snapper.

"I was scared," Parra said. "I thought he was going to throw her into the canal. She was everyone's favorite dog. All the kids loved her." Schumway's back balcony faces a narrow canal.

According to Lyons, who he heard a loud thud toward the back of the apartment compelx, he feared child in the neighborhood had been injured and frantically sprinted toward the back of the complex.

"Next thing I see Snapper going into convulsions," Lyons said. "Her back legs were shaking like crazy."

He said he gently scoooped up Snapper, and placed her in the back of a buddy's pickup truck and sped to the nearest veterinarian.

After examining Snapper for several minutes, a veterinarian at the Animal Energency Oakland Park in Fort Lauderdale told Lyons that Snapper's life could not be saved.

Snapper was slated to play Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer in a Christmas production planned by parents and children from the Crystal Inn Apartments.

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References

Miami Herald - Dec 11, 1999

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