Puppy thrown from overpass recovering with foster family

A puppy thrown from an overpass, now known as "Good Sam Dog" is recovering after surgery, said an update from Young Williams Animal Center.

Good Sam will be spending the next 8 to 10 weeks with a medical foster family while she recovers. She is not yet ready for adoption, the shelter said.

"We expect she will remain as a medical foster placement for 8-10 weeks and currently is not available for adoption so she can get the rest and recovery she needs and deserves!"

Knoxville police continue to urge the public to help in the search for more information about the suspect responsible for throwing the puppy off an Alcoa Highway overpass.

"KPD is continuing to ask for the public’s assistance in providing any information relevant to the case, which could play a significant role in its resolution. People can be directed to either the Crime Hotline or the Animal Control Unit.," Scott Erland with KPD said.

The incident happened Monday morning around 3 a.m. The officer who found her, Ofc. Kevin Aguilar, spoke with WVLT about what happened.

According to records, Ofc. Aguilar was parked beneath the overpass near Tyson Skate Park in his cruiser when he heard "a deep male voice grunting and cursing." He said he heard a loud impact and a dog whining.

"I was in shock. The first thing I was thinking was there's no way someone just threw a dog off that bridge," Aguilar told WVLT.

Upon investigation, Ofc. Aguilar reportedly found a female puppy bleeding from her mouth with abrasions on her paws. He said the dog appeared to have a broken leg.

After taking the dog to get care for her injuries, officers returned to the scene to investigate. They reportedly found a wet spot directly above the place where the dog fell. They believe a car had been parked on the overpass.

The officers measured the drop from the bridge and determined the fall to be 29 feet and 9 inches.

"Someone threw this sweet puppy off of the Alcoa Highway overpass near Tyson Park. Thankfully, KPD officers were already in the area, located the injured animal and rendered aid," said KPD in a Facebook post.

The puppy was taken to the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center.

Veterinarians said they expect the puppy to survive and be transferred to Young Williams Animal Center after treatment.

"If anyone has any information about this unspeakable act, they are urged to please call the Crime Hotline," said KPD.

Anyone who has information about the incident should call police at 865-215-7212 or the Animal Control Unit at 865-215-8640.

No suspects have been named.

Employees at Young-Williams Animal Center took to Facebook to "encourage everyone who is angry, tearful or feeling hopeless" about the puppy to donate to the center's Animal Compassion Fund.

The Harry and Carolyn Galbraith Animal Compassion Fund was established to provide resources needed to treat animals with medical conditions or behavioral problems that would otherwise make them unadoptable.

According to the post, the fund helps pay for medical equipment, treatment and providing foster homes for the animals while they heal.

"Your gift to the Animal Compassion Fund will help this puppy and others like her who need extra care and recover in their journey to find a sale and loving forever home," Young-Williams Animal Center's post read.

To find out more about the Compassion Fund click