ELYRIA, Ohio -- The mother of one of two Elyria men charged with throwing a dog off a cliff surrendered a couple of other family dogs to the Friendship Animal Protective League.

The surrendered dogs were in surprisingly good condition, said Friendship APL Executive Director Gregory Willey.

"The dogs are in very good health, very friendly and social," Willey said. "Clearly, the mother took care of these dogs, allowed them to live in the house."

Christopher Taylor, 21, who lived in the family home, was arraigned Thursday in Elyria Municipal Court on charges of animal cruelty and animal abandonment. He was released on bond. One of the conditions of the release was that Taylor not be in a house with pets, including dogs, cats, snakes or lizards.

Taylor's co-defendant, Joshua Novak, 24, was also released on bail, but was remanded to the Lorain County Jail on an unrelated charge. He initially was a witness in the dog case and was later charged when he stopped cooperating with investigators.

Joshua Novak

The remaining dogs are brown and white pit-bull and boxer mixed breeds, weighing between 35 and 40 pounds. The dog that was thrown over the cliff in Cascade Park on Dec. 29 was the same breed mix and size, Willey said.

Lorain County Park Rangers reported that Taylor threw or kicked the dog over the cliff. The animal, injured and limping, climbed back up and went over to Taylor. Witnesses said he threw the dog over a second time to its apparent death. The dog hit the rocks below. Its body has not been found and is believed to have been washed away by the Black River.

John Prusak, Taylor's attorney, said the dog's missing body and only one witness to the incident gives him a strong defense.

"They only have one witness, who was across the river, and no body," he said. "I think it's a sketchy case and the charges will be dismissed."

Novak's attorney could not be reached for comment, neither could the prosecuting attorney in the case.

Willey said he was surprised that the dogs in Taylor's home were so well-treated.

"It's a strange thing that a kid would grow up in this house where dogs were treated so well and then do what he was charged with," said Willey. "We are glad that the dogs, Diamond and Onyx, are out of the house and safe. They will be put up for adoption after evaluation."

Willey said the APL went to the family's house earlier to evaluate the safety of the remaining dogs. He said Taylor's mother brought the dogs to the APL after the judge's order.

The arraignment for the two men Thursday drew a large crowd of nearly 100 protesters from around Northeast Ohio. They carried signs outside Elyria Municipal Court demanding the men be sentenced to the maximum penalty if convicted of the crimes, which are misdemeanors. Some signs read "Dogs Are Family," "Dog Lives Matter" and "Justice for Cascade," a name given to the dog since his real name is not known.

The maximum penalty for the cruelty charge is six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. The maximum for the abandonment charge is three months in jail and a $750 fine.

Both men pleaded not guilty.

Thursday's story on the arraignment and protest garnered a lot of reaction on cleveland.com and social media, all against the suspects. Among them was Alan Robinson, who wrote, "What type of human being would purposely murder a loving animal in this fashion? There are animal shelters, Craig's List, rescue shelters everywhere, and you decide to murder the dog that is loyal and loving to you. Max em out - Send a message to other miscreants."