2 arrested for tossing puppies out of a car, abandoning them at Georgia church

A man faces serious charges after a shocking video emerged showing him abandoning puppies behind a church.

John Williams and his passenger, Marie Crowder, are both charged with four felony counts of animal cruelty following the incident.

Disturbing footage shows Williams getting out of a car and removing three puppies from the back seat.

“One of the puppies jumps out, the rest of them didn’t so he comes around and pretty much throws the other three out,” said Sgt. Bobby Mullenix of the Haralson County Sheriff’s Office.

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The puppies endured eight days in the heat without food or water before being discovered.

Mullenix, an animal lover himself, expressed how difficult it was to see the animals in distress.

“It’s terrible to put these animals out. Nothing to keep them hydrated, starvation, in hopes someone would come by and pick them up,” he said.

The puppies took refuge under a nearby building until they were spotted by a church member who contacted animal control.

According to Amanda Matthews from the Haralson County Animal Shelter, the puppies were in rough shape when they were found.

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“They were pretty skinny. One had some skin issues on her forehead. They were all feral, so we weren’t able to touch them, we had to trap them,” she said.

Thanks to the security video, investigators were able to identify and arrest Williams and Crowder.

When questioned, the pair claimed they did not know abandoning the puppies was against the law and believed they would be picked up if left at a church or subdivision.

At the Haralson County Animal Shelter, the remaining three puppies are now healthy and playful.

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“They actually come up to the cage now and want to be loved,” Matthews said.

One of the puppies has already been adopted, but the other three are still looking for their forever homes.

The German Shepherd Mix puppies are between three and four months old.

You can adopt one of them by calling the shelter at 770-646-6622.

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