HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- A two-year-old pitbull mix continued to recover Friday after Henrico Police charge a man with assaulting the dog.
Police said the incident occurred on Sunday, April 28 at around 3:23 p.m.
Officers responded to the 1600 block of Carter St for an animal call.
Jasmine Marshall said family members returned to their East Highland Park home to find her dog, Angel, bleeding and in distress.
"Both eyes looked like they were running blood and she had cuts on her head and underneath her eye," Marshall explained.
Marshall said Carl Townes, a family friend, had somehow injured the dog.
After an investigation, police charged Townes with animal cruelty.
Marshall said she felt compelled to press charges after hearing the story of Tommie - the dog found tied to a pole and set on fire in Richmond's Abner Clay Park in February.
She said she even brought Angel to Tommie's memorial to pay their respects after his death.
"Dogs weren’t put on the planet to be hurt," Marshall stated. "They were meant to be loved and cherished like family."
Police said the 53-year-old had also vandalized private property and charged him with vandalism in connection to the incident.
Townes bonded out of jail and is due in court on August 8.
Attempts to reach Townes for comment were unsuccessful.
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