A fight with someone in your current or former household is bad enough. However, sometimes domestic violence allegations can lead to other legal charges. When this happens, an accused individual faces even more serious potential penalties.

A 23-year-old New Jersey man is now facing multiple counts of animal cruelty after a fight with his girlfriend. The man and his girlfriend reportedly had a disagreement on a Sunday afternoon. Upset and angry, the man returned to his home, where he had been caring for his girlfriend's puppy. He then allegedly brought the dog, a Labrador mix between four and five months old, to the Henry Hudson Trail in Bedford and tossed it over the bridge into a creek bed below.

A police officer who investigated the incident discovered the dog in the water. The animal was brought to safety and rushed to a nearby animal clinic for a thorough evaluation. News reports indicate that the puppy is back in the girlfriend's care and is "doing well." The animal clinic representatives expect the animal to make a complete recovery.

According to authorities, the man admitted throwing the animal off the bridge. He now faces charges for abusing a living creature, abandoning a living creature and inflicting unnecessary cruelty on a living creature. He could end up with 18 months behind bars and up to $3,000 in fines, as each animal cruelty charge carries a maximum of six months in prison and $1,000 fine.

Domestic disputes are particularly difficult because they are so emotionally charged. However, a conviction for this type of offense can haunt a person's life well into the future. Therefore, it is important to properly defend against this type of charge.

Source: Daily Record, "Police: Man tossed ex-girlfriend's dog off bridge following domestic dispute," Alex Biese, 11 April 2011