VIRGINIA BEACH -- A Virginia Beach man has been charged after the body of his 15-year-old dog was found in a lake in February.
Police charged 33-year-old Joshua Curry of the 1800 block of Barkading Court in Virginia Beach with felony animal cruelty and a misdemeanor charge of failing to sanitarily dispose of a dead animal.
The dog's body was transported to the Virginia Beach Animal Care and Adoption Center where a necropsy was performed by the city’s Veterinarian.
Animal Control officials say the dog, Hershey, had been choked and had a chain tied around her body and was then dumped in the water.
Officials say an exam revealed the dog was an older female, Shepherd mix, with a broken left jaw bone and significant bruising around her mid-section caused by the heavy ten-foot industrial chain.
Officials say the dog was dumped into a lake adjacent to her home shortly after Thanksgiving.
Curry has been released on bond.
The case remains under investigation.
