Crated dog killed durng break-in
Kalamazoo, MI (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Jan 13, 2009
County: Kalamazoo

Disposition: Open

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

A deadly case of animal cruelty has left Kalamazoo police disgusted.

Police say on Tuesday, someone broke into a home on East Maple and tortured a dog named Lucky. What they did to Lucky was so severe that he later died. Now the search is on for the people responsible.

Newschannel 3 spoke to the dog's owner Thursday.

To get into the house, crooks smashed out a back window, got into a back room and started to tear it apart. Then they made their way through the house to a front room where they found the family dog locked helplessly in a crate. They dumped household chemicals on the dog, which eventually killed it.

The three-year-old dachshund was named Lucky, and he meant everything to Nancy Sheppard. Sheppard was at work when her neighbor called to tell her what happened.

"He said your house has been broken into, the police are there and they want you home," Sheppard said.

Before Sheppard could arrive home, Lucky was rushed to an animal hospital, and was actually released to go home Wednesday night, but shortly thereafter, Lucky gave in to the effects of the poison.

"When I came back I moved him a little bit and his eyes were wide open," said Sheppard, "I touched his paws and he was stiff."

Now Sheppard wants the animal killers to come forward, and she suspects they know exactly who she is.

"This one was this time, last time it was that one, before that it was this one," said Sheppard, pointing to windows that she has had broken.

Sheppard says that in all she has had four windows that have been smashed out during the eight burglaries she has experienced in a three year period.

"I feel like my space has been invaded and my privacy," said Sheppard, "I've been trying to get out of here as quick as I can."

Police have taken fingerprints from throughout the house and say they have high hopes for catching the guilty party, but nothing that happens will bring Lucky back to Sheppard.

"That was my buddy, that was my child so to speak, with four paws and fur," said Sheppard.

Police are looking for help in catching the crooks responsible. Anyone with any information about the break-in that happened on Tuesday afternoon in the 100 Block of East Maple in Kalamazoo is asked to contact Kalamazoo Public Safety at 269-337-8994 or Silent Observer at 269-343-2100.

If you have information on this case, please contact:
Silent Observer
269-343-2100

References

• « MI State Animal Cruelty Map

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