Charges in puppy tossing case

TROY, Ohio (WDTN) - Authorities tell 2 News, thanks to media reports, they received several tips which led them to the two suspects.

A Miami County Sheriff's Deputy who was patrolling the park Friday morning on Peterson Road near 25-A says she heard the puppies yelping.

She found two puppies tossed off a bridge, that landed about 15 feet down an embankment, near the Great Miami River.  Two others were discovered at the top of the bridge.

Two people now face charges. 

29-year-old Steven Bixler of Piqua is charged with 2 counts of animal cruelty and 4 counts of abandonment. The deputy tells 2 News he confessed to tossing the puppies.

His girlfriend, 36-year-old Shonda Lee of Piqua is charged with animal cruelty and failure to license.  The deputy says Lee told her that she wasn't able to take care of the puppies.  She still has the mother but the deputy says she's turning her over to the Miami County Animal Shelter Tuesday.

Bixler and Lee will be in court on November 20th.

All four of the puppies and the mother are up for adoption.

"The phones have been ringing off the hook.  We've already been taking applications so if anybody's interested, you're welcome to fill out an applications," says Miami County Animal Shelter Director Marcia Doncaster.

For more information on how you can adopt, go here .