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	Courtesy Photo Zoey was a 4-pound teacup Chihuahua given to Caisha Wantz by her husband, Tim, in February 2008. A man who had argued with the couple confessed to throwing the dog over the Catoctin Creek Bridge on Md. 464.

Zoey, her purebred teacup Chihuahua, would sit on her lap and watch the screen as she clicked from site to site.

The dog, who was 1 1 Ú2 years old, would also sit on her feet when she was in the bathroom and jump in her purse for shopping trips.

Zoey was a gift to Wantz from her husband, Tim, who was trying to cheer her up while she was going through some difficult personal times in early February 2008.

"I found a lot of comfort in her," she said. "She went everywhere with me."

The Wantzes continue to mourn the loss of Zoey, who disappeared June 19. A man who had argued with the couple that day later confessed to taking the 4-pound dog and throwing her over the Catoctin Creek Bridge on Md. 464.

"What he did," Wantz said, "there is no excuse for it."

The Wantzes live on 25 acres off Point of Rocks Road. Zoey was one of three dogs the couple had.

The couple, along with their son and niece, were traveling down their driveway when they found David Michael Beers, 34, sitting in his maroon station wagon with the engine off.

Beers told Maryland State Police Trooper First Class E.M. Green he was driving in the area talking on his cell phone to a friend about flag football but he kept losing his signal, according to charging documents. He saw the Wantzes' driveway, thought it was a service road for power lines and decided to drive on it to get a better signal.

Tim Wantz asked if he could help Beers, who told him he was trying to make a cell phone call. He told Beers he was on private property and asked him to leave.

The couple and Beers got into a heated argument.

The Wantzes claim Beers would not leave the property after they repeatedly asked him to and threatened to call the police. Beers asserts in charging documents that he didn't know he was on private property and that Wantz threw a cup of coffee on his car.

In an interview, Caisha Wantz said only several drops of coffee got on his car, not a whole cup.

Beers told Green that he drove away angry, according to charging documents. He left the property but came back after he saw the couple leave.

He drove back up to the house and Zoey came up to his vehicle, the documents state. He grabbed her and put her in the vehicle and drove toward his Brunswick home.

"Beers advised his windows were down as he drove over Catoctin Creek Bridge on Md. 464," Green wrote in charging documents. "He threw the dog out of the passenger side window over the bridge into the creek. Beers advised he then went home."

Fearing some sort of retaliation, the couple drove back to the house and saw Beers' car pulling out of their driveway. They found several of their animals upset, and Zoey was missing.

"It was the worst day of my life," Wantz said. "Zoey never, ever, ever leaves the immediate area around the house."

The couple called out for hours, searched the area and called neighbors. They put up posters and fliers. The dog never returned.

"We did everything we could to find her," she said.

Wantz found Beers several weeks later and he admitted taking Zoey, but initially said he dropped her off in a neighbor's driveway. Later he said he left her on Md. 464, according to charging documents.

During a meeting with Green on July 13, Beers said he threw Zoey over the bridge.

The Wantzes searched the bridge area for Zoey's body several times. Jan Faulkner, a Brunswick resident, saw one of Zoey's missing posters and also searched the bridge several times.

Zoey's body has not been found.

Beers has been charged with theft less than $500, trespassing and animal cruelty by state police. If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to 18 months and a $500 fine for the theft charge, 90 days and a $500 fine for trespassing and 90 days and a $100 fine for animal cruelty. He was served his criminal summons on Aug. 17. A Sept. 17 court date has been set.

Kevin Young, Beers' public defender, had no comment when contacted Thursday afternoon.

Wantz is interested in possibly filing a lawsuit against Beers and has retained defense lawyer Scott L. Rolle.

If she does file and a lawsuit and wins, she plans on using the money in a campaign to make laws stricter for people who abuse or kill animals, she said.

"I don't want Zoey's death to be for absolutely nothing," Wantz said. "I definitely want to make a difference."

Faulkner has already received 10 donations from animal lovers and friends.

"I just want something positive to come out of something negative," Faulkner said.

For those who wish to volunteer or donate money, e-mail Faulkner at janfaulkner82@gmail.com.