Man Threw Puppy Out Of Third-Floor Window In Mercer County: Police

Police are searching for a Mercer County man who stands accused of throwing his four-month old puppy out of a third-floor window in a fit of rage.

Anthony Matlock, 19, of Trenton, is accused of throwing his four-month-old American Staffordshire terrier, Duchess, out of a window on Sept. 21, authorities said Friday morning. Duchess landed on a vacant property a few feet away, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.

The dog was badly injured, but responding police officers and firefighters were able to rescue her from the property, authorities said. Responding police officers crawled into the vacant residence through a rear window in an attempt to find her. Firefighters also responded, and saw that the roof and first and second floors of the extremely dilapidated structure had collapsed into the basement.

Firefighters then breached the boarded front door and were able to rescue Duchess from the debris in the basement. The severely injured puppy was taken to CARES Veterinary Hospital in Langhorne, Pa., where doctors were able to save the dog’s broken right leg with surgery.

After throwing the dog out of the window, Matlack fled the scene, police said. The Trenton Humane Law Enforcement Division signed a complaint against him on Thursday, charging him with one count of third-degree animal cruelty. He is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 17. However, police have not yet been able to find him and serve him with the summons, according to the prosecutor’s office.

This image of a Staffordshire Terrier, via Morguefile, doesn't depict the dog involved in the incident