A pit bull has been hailed a “hero” online after stepping in to defend a teenager from a man, but the poor animal was allegedly then thrown from a balcony by the suspect.
The three-year-old dog, named Sparta, thankfully survived the two-story drop.
The incident occurred after the male suspect, identified as Nigel Myers, 44, allegedly followed a 15-year-old girl into the bedroom of her home.
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She was able to leave the room, but Myers reportedly followed her into the living room, trying to coax her back.
That’s when three-year-old Sparta jumped in.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the dog “began jumping” on Myers in a “protective manner”.
Officers responded to the scene around 7.10 pm on 29 September after a report of animal abuse and lascivious conduct in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Deputies from the Patrol Operations Bureau claim Myers picked up Sparta and threw him against the top compartment of a dog cage.
The 44-year-old then allegedly picked up the dog by his two hind legs and tossed him from the balcony.
Sparta was rushed to a nearby animal hospital with serious injuries but is thankfully expected to recover from the ordeal.
Myers was arrested and transported to Pinellas County Jail, as reported by Need To Know.
He is charged with Aggravated Animal Cruelty, Domestic Battery, Child Abuse, and Lewd and Lascivious Conduct.
Social media users have reacted to the story online, with Sparta dubbed a “hero”.
One person said, “OMG, this dog is a hero! God bless. Deserves so much love and to be spoiled!”
“That’s a well-made dog,” added someone else.
“A hero,” said Nicole.
“Sparta, you are an angel, thank you. Dogs are so much better than humans! I pray you have a full and speedy recovery,” added Erica.
Someone else said: “Omg the dog is a hero, pure angel. I hope the 15-year-old girl is safe… a special place in hell for humans who harm dogs.”
“I just wanna have a quick talk with that man,” added another person, referring to the suspect.
No further information has been shared by officials regarding the teenage victim at this stage.
The investigation continues.
