COLUMBUS – A Polk County EMS employee who was terminated in January following the alleged mutilation of a dead dog appeared in Polk County District Court on Wednesday, Feb. 8.

Michael Purdy was charged with two counts of resisting public officer. His case was continued until March 8, according to court records.

Purdy, 31, was charged on Jan. 18 with two counts of resisting public officer in what the sheriff’s office said was for lying to police officers during the investigation.

Purdy was terminated from his Polk County EMS position after he allegedly took a deceased dog from the Peniel and Little Mountain Road area in the Columbus Township and skinned and beheaded it. The dog, named Goliath, was a Shiloh shepherd mix the family said they had for nine years.

Goliath was hit and killed by an ambulance on the way to an emergency call on Jan. 8 and Purdy allegedly went to the scene off duty to pick up the dog.

Purdy has retained Chris Stepp as his attorney, according to court records.