Southern New Jersey police charged a 26-year-old man after a 2-year-old Bichon Frise was found in a dumpster slightly south of Staten Island.
A maintenance worker spotted the freezing pup outside an apartment complex Tuesday morning and called authorities, according to Township of Old Bridge public safety officials. They immediately launched an investigation to locate the culprit.
“Based upon surveillance video from several residents, it is believed the dog was put in the dumpster around 10 p.m. on Jan. 20,” police said.
The management company that owned the apartment complex joined police in circulating that video, which led them to a suspect who hasn’t been named. He’s charged with animal neglect and abandonment.
Police said a veterinarian determined the dog to be in good health. Information about adopting the abandoned pooch will be announced at a later day.
Reactions to the dog being dumped in subfreezing temperatures went as one might expect.
“Hope you’re holding him in a dumpster outside,” one person posted on the police department’s Facebook page.
Others demanded the name of the suspect, who police say is from Old Bridge, be released. It’s not clear if he was the dog’s owner. The American Kennel Club describes the “resilient” Bichon Frise breed as popular “personality dogs.”
Temperatures in New Bridge hit single digits early in the week.