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Burned dog found in plastic bag
Long Beach, CA (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Jan 21, 2009
County: Los Angeles
Disposition: Open
Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!
A small dog was found inside a bag set on fire at a local park Wednesday, and authorities said Thursday it is eerily similar to another arson case in which two small dogs were found burned in a dog kennel in 2006.
A joint investigation including the Long Beach Fire Department, the Long Beach Police Department and the city's Animal Control Division was launched after the grisly discovery was made at Houghton Park late Wednesday afternoon, said Battalion Chief Frank Hayes, a fire department spokesman.
However, investigators have not been able to find any witnesses to the incident even though the area was bustling with children and other people at the skate park and nearby, said Arson Investigator Pat Wills.
"We believe somebody saw something out there, and we really need them to come forward," Wills said.
Firefighters were dispatched to Houghton Park, near Harding Street and Atlantic Avenue, at about 4:45 p.m. and found a smoldering fire on the grass just west of the skate park, Hayes said.
Burning underneath a pile of palm tree fronds was a plastic bag that held what appeared to be a Chihuahua, or mixed-Chihuahua breed, and other debris, Hayes said.
It was not immediately clear if the dog was burned to death, or if it had died prior to the fire being set, Hayes said.
"There's no question that this is an arson fire," Wills explained. "What we don't know is how the dog died and the circumstances leading up to the fire."
Arson investigators, police officers and Animal Control officers questioned adults and children who were near the fire but could find no witnesses, Hayes said.
Some evidence, however, was recovered at the scene, Hayes said.
Wills said Wednesday that Animal Control was conducting a necropsy that afternoon to determine whether the dog had suffered any trauma prior to the fire and were reviewing their records for previous animal cruelty cases to see if there are any other attacks or suspects with similar motives.
Animal Control officers are also working with local veterinary hospitals and animal rescue groups to try to trace the dog's origin, Wills said.
"They'll look to see if it has a chip," the investigator said, referring to microchips pet owners can have implanted in their animals that include vital information.
"It did not have a collar," Wills said.
The case, Wills noted, is very similar to an unsolved arson case that left two Chihuahuas dead on Nov. 4, 2006.
In that incident, which occurred about 2 miles from Houghton Park, the two small dogs were found burned inside a portable dog kennel, Wills said.
Those dogs were eventually traced back to owners on some military property in San Pedro, but the deaths were never solved, Wills said.
"We don't believe the dogs' owners had anything to do with it," he said.
Wills encouraged anyone who has a missing Chihuahua or mixed-breed Chihuahua to contact Animal Control for information, 562-570-3057.
Anyone who was in the area of Wednesday's fire and who has information that can help the investigation was urged to call either the fire or police department.
Tips can be left on the Arson Hotline, 562-570-2582, or at the police department's non-emergency line, 562-435-6711.
To further encourage witnesses, community activist Justin Rudd offered a $2,000 reward Thursday for anyone who can provide authorities with information leading to the capture and conviction of the person or people responsible.
Rudd is the founder of a number of community organizations including Haute Dog, a Long Beach-based animal events and welfare organization, and was the driving force behind the city's development of an off-leash dog zone at the beach.
"We need to do whatever we can to take care of this," Rudd said Thursday night.
Rudd initially pledged $1,000 from Haute Dog's fund-raising campaigns, then threw in another $1,000 of his own money. If you have information on this case, please contact:
Arson Hotline
562-570-2582
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