Matthew Spanburgh, of Warminster (Credit: Warminster Police)
A Warminster man has been charged with torturing and drowning his Belgian shepherd dog amid purported martial issues.
Matthew Michael Spanburg, 28, was charged May 17 by Warminster Township Police with two felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and misdemeanor cruelty to animals, according to court records.
On Friday, May 16, 2025, at 9:27 p.m., police were called to the 600 block of East Street Road for a welfare check on Spanburgh, as the caller reported he was having marriage problems and may have killed his dog and possibly himself, according to the affidavit.
Upon arrival, police found Spanburgh, who allegedly admitted to killing his short-haired black-and-tan pet by drowning him in the bathtub. He led police to the bedroom, where officers found the dog deceased, laying on its side with paws flat out on the floor, police said. The dog was on a white blanket and blood was around its nose and mouth area, according to the complaint.
Spanburgh told police, per the complaint, that the dog had knocked over a child on a previous date, and his wife was concerned the dog would hurt the child, so “he did not know what else to do.”
Warminster detectives obtained a search warrant for the property and recovered the dog.
Warminster Police, working with Warminster Animal Control Officer and Bucks County SPCA, finished the investigation and obtained an arrest warrant for Spanburgh, police said.
Spanburgh was arraigned before Magisterial District Justice Christopher O'Neill and was remanded to Bucks County jail on 10% of $300,000 cash bail on the animal charges, and an additional 10% of $30,000 cash bail on charges stemming from another incident involving misdemeanor terroristic threats, authorities said.
A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 4 at 2 p.m. before O’Neill, according to court records. Spanburgh is represented by Doylestown attorney John Fioravanti Jr.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
