- A woman accused of throwing her
puppy into the sea was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. - Selena Marban of
Georgia faces a felony charge after the dog had to be euthanized for its injuries. - Police issued a warrant for Marban's arrest,
news of which was shared over 2,000 times.
A woman in Georgia faces a felony
The Tybee Island Police Department arrested Candy Selena Marban on suspicion of aggravated cruelty to animals on Tuesday.
On September 12, police responded to an incident after witnesses said they saw "people throwing an injured puppy into the ocean." Officers found the puppy "curled up in the sand and nursing an obvious injury," according to a statement from the department.
Marban, the puppy's owner, told police the dog was previously injured during an accident the week prior to the incident and that the dog had not been treated for the injuries "because she could not afford to pay for medical care." Authorities issued a city ordinance citation for cruelty to animals to Marban
After the puppy was taken into protective custody, it was brought to a veterinarian who determined "the extent of the animal's injuries was so severe that the only recourse would be euthanasia," prompting authorities to elevate Marban's citation to a felony charge for aggravated cruelty to animals.
The Tybee Island Police Department released a wanted poster for Marban on Monday, which was shared over 2,000 times on Facebook in 24 hours, according to the statement, leading to "an abundance of tips" on her whereabouts. She was arrested on Tuesday.
"The men and women of the Tybee Island Police Department deeply appreciate the help of the social media community and their passion for animal welfare," the department said in the statement. "The department also extends special thanks to all of their law enforcement partners who assisted in attempting to locate Marban."