Dogs can be lovely companions, but like all lovely companions they can have their little quirks.

Maybe they back ferociously at butterflies, maybe they wake you up for a walk early in the morning, maybe they get in your trash and make a mess.

What to do?

Shane Rushing thought he had the answer: He drove to a bridge over the Trinity River with his six-month-old puppy, pulled over, and tossed him down 50 feet into the water.

It backfired, though: The dog survived (ha!) and Rushing was arrested.



A couple noticed Rushing's Ford F-150, not to mention the airborne dog, and followed him to a convenience store.

There, according to the Liberty Vindicator, he told them he was tired of the puppy going through his trash. Options beyond "throw him into the river" apparently were not considered.

Authorities were contacted, and a county animal-control officer went to the bridge. She saw that the pup had paddled over to a small, rocky island in the middle of the river, where he likely was pondering what the hell was up with these tall, two-legged animals who always seemed so pissed off.

The pup was rescued, taken to a shelter and named Lucky, which is a better name than Deservedly Bitter, to be sure.

The Liberty police chief told the paper that more than 70 calls had come in seeking to adopt the dog.