Fifty-seven year old Theodore Schultz faces one count of animal cruelty after police say he told an animal control officer that he killed a puppy in his care.
"He basically put the dog down on his own in the backyard with a shovel," said Troy Animal Control Warden Kevin McDonough. "And then buried it in his back yard and we removed it last night."
McDonough said that the dog was about four-weeks-old, sick, and needed medical attention. Schultz said that he called a vet but they were going to charge him a lot, for a sick puppy.
Schultz said he will fight this charge in court.
"A mercy killing, said Schultz. "They don't see it that way but I'll go to court with it. They'll have to do with it what they want to. That's how I feel. I'm innocent of all charges except for the act that I did. I did the puppy a favor because he wouldn't have made it."
Schultz is due in court Monday morning.
McDonough said that an autopsy on the puppy is also scheduled for Monday.
Eight other puppies and their mom are now at the Troy Vet Hospital.
