A key piece of video evidence regarding the Pit Bull puppy who was critically injured after being dragged down Interstate 55 helped police arrest Benetta Johnson, 41, of East St. Louis.

Johnson, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, was charged Friday with misdemeanor animal abuse in the case.

Trooper, the 5-and-a-half-month-old Pit Bull puppy, is now walking, and eating and drinking normally following surgery he had earlier this month.

According to the Humane Society of Missouri, investigators discovered video surveillance tape of the puppy being tied to the truck and spent many hours painstakingly reviewing this key evidence.

“Since the day of the incident, HSMO’s animal cruelty investigators have worked diligently developing and following leads, conducting follow-up interviews, and canvassing neighborhoods in a determined effort to gather and provide the evidence needed to prosecute this case,” said Mike Perkins, director of Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Cruelty Task Force. “We were very pleased to work with St. Louis City Police Officer Louis Naes to provide his department with the information needed to be able to take this case forward.”

Trooper will remain in rehab for another month and a half, officials say. 

The Humane Society also says with the overwhelming interest from individuals wishing to adopt Trooper—and considering the extent of his injuries—he will have a long recovery before he is available for adoption.