A Houston teenager is charged with animal abuse for his actions that led to a puppy being thrown 100 feet to its death from a Texas County fire lookout tower. An unnamed male juvenile was also involved.
Taylor DeWolfe, 17, confessed to a deputy with the Texas County Sheriff’s Department that he carried the animal to the highest platform of the tower on Highway 38 to kill it. DeWolfe said the juvenile threw it off the tower and then tossed it in a ditch a short distance away.
DeWolfe is also charged with tampering with physical evidence related to the puppy’s death. He faces an additional stealing charge for swiping county road signs. All charges are misdemeanors. Parke Stevens Jr., Texas County Prosecuting Attorney, said the animal abuse charge was not a felony because “the dog was not tortured while alive.”
Both DeWolfe and the juvenile are enrolled at Houston High School.
The sheriff’s department said it was notified shortly after noon Tuesday that the boys had been bragging to HHS students about the incident. DeWolfe was then interviewed by the deputy.
DeWolfe told authorities he and the juvenile drove to the tower with the intent of throwing it from the tower. DeWolfe said he carried the animal to the highest platform –– just below the office –– and the juvenile threw it to the ground.
The fire lookout tower on Highway 38 is no longer used by authorities but remains standing without fencing or signage warning the public to stay off.
DeWolfe said the juvenile later called him and said he had bragged to other students about their actions and that the carcass of the animal needed to be moved. DeWolfe said he put the dead animal in the trunk of his vehicle and disposed of it on the side of Highway Z.
During the interview, DeWolfe told authorities he and the juvenile had stolen county road signs as well as signs in Cabool and Houston.