August 19, 2021–7:40 a.m.
STAFF REPORTS
A disturbing case of animal cruelty caught on video leads to the arrest of two people.
The video shows a man slinging a dog by a leash into a dumpster outside a daycare center on O’Neill Street.
He then goes back and closes the lid on the dumpster.
On Wednesday, 40-year old Jason Keith Kelley and 41-year old Tonya Marie Trapp, both of a Covered Springs Drive address in Rome, were arrested and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals.
The suspects are in no way affiliated with the daycare center.
Workers are the daycare center found the dog in the dumpster.
It survived and is now being cared for.
You can view the video, courtesy of April Rogers below.
WARNING: The video is disturbing. Viewer discretion advised
Floyd County Public Animal Welfare Services posted the following on their Facebook page Wednesday:
“Thanks to all officers involved and all the citizens that sent information on this case. Floyd County takes crimes against animals seriously. We will do everything in our power to make sure crimes as such don’t go unpunished. Special thanks to our Animal Control Officers Atkins, Freeman, Gibson, Sheriff Deputy Jeremy Clay, and the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office as well as all the other officers involved with this case for their commitment to making sure animal cruelty is not tolerated here in Floyd County.”
The Floyd County Sheriff’s Office also thanked the community for their assistance in the case.
“We all saw the deplorable acts of the two individuals responsible for abusing the dog in the video which was retrieved from the local daycare center. Many of you rightfully voiced your concerns and disgust. We are very happy to report that both individuals are behind bars today and charged with Aggravated Cruelty to Animals which is a felony. We would also like to take this opportunity to commend Deputy Jeremy Clay for his quick and thorough investigation of the situation. This case came to us as a result of our partnership with Floyd County PAWS. Animal Cruelty will not be tolerated in Floyd County.”