Man charged with locking dogs in cage, throwing them in creek headed to trial

KITTANNING, Pa. — A man charged with locking his two dogs in a metal crate and throwing them in a Manor Township creek waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday.

Investigators say Michael Downes was moving in with a friend and needed to get rid of his dogs.

Channel 11 asked Downes as he was walking into his hearing if he had anything to say about the charges and he said "I didn't do it." He claims somebody set him up.

One of the dogs died but a second, named Smokey, survived. The dog is now being cared for at Orphans of the Storm animal shelter in Kittanning.

Head wounds suggest the dogs may have been shot.

TRENDING NOW:

• Fire ravages Upper St. Clair home
• N. Korea nuclear test site reportedly collapses, killing hundreds
• 2017 Trick-or-Treat Times
• VIDEO: 11-Year-Old Shoots 12-Year-Old In Head At Sleepover Party

"He did have a wound, he was thin and he was overwhelmed with fleas and ticks,” said Beth Ann Galbraith, of Orphans of the Storm "We're very happy to see his progress and know that we have helped him to move on and have a wonderful life."

As for Downes, he had much less to say heading out of court and back to the Armstrong County Jail.

His case now moves one step closer to trial.

We're told several families have shown an interest in adopting Smokey, which could happen in a matter of weeks

Cox Media Group