David Paul George Jr.
Staff Reports
A Bryson City man has been sentenced to jail time in an animal cruelty case.
On Feb. 3, David Paul George Jr., of Bryson City, was found guilty in Swain County District Court on charges of misdemeanor cruelty to animals and misdemeanor abandonment of an animal. He was sentenced to serve 30 days of jail time.
The charges stem from an incident on Sept. 8, 2023, where a puppy was injured after the defendant threw the puppy from his vehicle in the driveway near the gate of PAWS animal shelter and left the dog there while the shelter was open, according to the criminal summons on file. The situation was caught on video leading to George’s arrest.
George’s legal representation has filed an appeal in this case.
PAWS located the puppy, naming him Apollo, and invested in getting him back to good health. The dog is being fostered by shelter executive director Beth Cline-Stroud.