Woman accused of throwing malnourished puppy out of car window

HOUSTON, Texas -- A woman has been arrested after authorities say she threw a malnourished dog out of her car window.

On Oct. 13, Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constables were called to the 11200 block of Will Clayton Parkway after a woman said she saw a driver throw a puppy out of the window.

Deputies say the driver, who was identified as 31-year-old Princess Franklin, said an old roommate left the puppy behind.

Franklin told deputies she couldn't find a place to take the dog so she decided to leave the puppy on the side of the road. The next day, deputies were able to find the puppy in the 18400 block of the Continental Parkway. The puppy is now being cared for by Harris County Animal Control.

Shelter workers said the dog is severely underweight and has long nails. She can barely stand up. They said it likely took months of neglect for her to get to this condition.

"I mean, it's definitely not an overnight thing obviously," Shannon Parker with the Harris County Animal Shelter said. "It would definitely take quite some time to have a dog this emaciated."

Despite her poor physical condition, the dog is very friendly and loving.

She is on a three-day hold at the shelter and will soon be up for adoption. Shelter employees said she will be best served by a rescue that knows how to care for dogs that need this much medical attention.

"She's going to take not just a bowl of food here and there to get her back to where she needs to be and to make sure her organs are functioning properly," Parker said.

Franklin has been charged with animal cruelty and is due back in court Friday at 8:30 a.m. Constable Mark Herman said his team is working to file more charges against Franklin.