A dog is recovering after it endured months of abuse at the hands of a Bensalem man, police allege.
Christopher George, 43, was charged with felony cruelty to animals Thursday. He was arraigned by District Judge Jan Vislosky and released on $25,000 unsecured bail.
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George is accused of abusing his ex-girlfriend’s dog for several months when they lived together in Falls Township.
George’s ex-girlfriend called police in late December to report the suspected abuse of her boxer, Rocky.
Over the course of the several months the dog lived with George, it lost weight, suffered cuts, 23 broken ribs, a puncture wound and bloody paws among other injuries. A police official told LevittownNow.com the dog is still recovering from the injuries.
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Once George’s ex-girlfriend moved into his home after a burglary to her Fairless Hills residence, George began to complain Rocky jumped onto furniture and insisted he be confined to the kitchen, police said.
Over time, Rocky suffered an abrasion on his nose and had trouble walking up stairs, according to George’s ex-girlfriend.
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Rocky got out in November and was found later near where George parks his vehicle for work. George’s ex-girlfriend found Rocky and noted she found it suspicious that the dog was found near where the 43 year old parked for work, according to court papers.
Several weeks later, the dog was found to have a cut in the area where surgery was performed by a veterinarian. Rocky’s owner called the doctor and they said the dog did not receive that injury from surgery, police said.
George’s ex-girlfriend removed Rocky from his home on Christmas Eve after a veterinarian said they believed the dog was being abused, police said.
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The woman ended her relationship with George a few days later.
Rocky’s owner told police that toward the end of her relationship with George, she found him attempting to remove blood stains off curtains and the carpet.
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“[The woman] spoke of Rocky’s demeanor, specifically how it changed while she was dating George. Rocky was social and playful at the beginning of the relationship, but as time passed he became extremely withdrawn. Rocky would not respond to family members and would sit facing a wall for extended periods of time,” Officer Michael Callahan wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
Over the course of the relationship, Rocky lost 15 pounds, as evidenced by photographs turned over to police, court papers state.
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Police said they believe the injuries to the dog were a direct result of abuse from George.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
