Local man charged with putting dog in Dumpster BY PATRICIA A. MILLER Staff Writer BRICK TOWNSHIP - Police have charged a township man with throwing a live dog wrapped in a garbage bag into a Dumpster behind the Brick Estates apartment complex. John A. Burke, 44, was arrested at 9:27 a.m. on Feb. 27 and charged with tormenting a living creature, according to the police report. Jersey Shore Animal Center animal control officer Nanci Keklak also filed charges against Burke. The dog was found wrapped in a blue blanket inside a black plastic garbage bag in the Dumpster, which is located in the back of Building 5 in the apartment complex, police said. Police officers met with the dog's owner, her daughter Patti Lynn McLain and son-in-law John Burke, and determined that Burke had thrown the bag in the Dumpster. Burke told police he didn't know the dog was inside the plastic bag when he threw it into the Dumpster, according to the police report. The dog was taken to the Jersey Shore Animal Center after the incident. Police also discovered that Burke had four outstanding warrants, one from Manchester for $974, one from Jackson for $480, one from Toms River for $330 and one from Lakewood for $250. Police also arrested McLain, 40, for outstanding warrants from Toms River, two from Lakewood and one from Manchester. Burke was taken to the Ocean County jail in Toms River.