COAL TOWNSHIP - A suspect has been identified by police in connection with a severely injured puppy found last weekend at the bottom of a cliff behind a cemetery in the Springfield section of the township.
Coal Township Police Chief William Carpenter said the suspect is a local man, but he did not provide a name Friday, pending further investigation.
He said the dog owner was identified through the course of the investigation. Police have not said whether the owner is the suspect.
The approximately 3-month-old female brindle pit bull was reportedly thrown over an embankment, which could result in a cruelty to animals misdemeanor charge for the culprit.
The dog suffered brain trauma and remains in Sunbury Animal Hospital.
Cheryl Hill, owner of Mostly Mutts, a no-kill animal shelter in the Sunbury area, reported the dog was taken to the animal hospital Jan. 7 after being found at the bottom of the cliff.
On Friday afternoon, Hill said the dog is improving. She said its medication has been decreased and it's sleeping better. She said the puppy is attempting to sit up, but is still not using its legs.
"Her condition is improving, but she's not out of the woods yet," Hill said. "The veterinarians and I are optimistic about its recovery. It's just sad this had to happen."
Hill said she was contacted about 4:30 p.m. Jan. 7 after someone found the puppy. She said she met the caller in Paxinos and, based on the puppy's injuries, immediately drove it to animal hospital. The puppy was barely breathing when it was found and it couldn't move its legs, Hill said.