Animal Abuse: Dog left for dead-mouth taped shut - Morehead, KY

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Case ID: 17293

Classification: Neglect / Abandonment

Animal: dog (pit-bull)

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Reward: $5,000

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Dog left for dead-mouth taped shut
Morehead, KY (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Jan 18, 2011
County: Rowan

Disposition: Open

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

"This incident was heinous," says Shannon Gagliano with Saving The Animals Of Rowan County.

The animal rescue group is upset and angry after it says a dog was left for dead near the Farmers Sharkey exit ramp on I-64 Northbound earlier this week.

"His mouth and muzzle had been taped shut with electrical tape," says Gagliano.

And she says animal abuse like this is nothing new to this state and something needs to be done, "For the third year in a row, Kentucky is ranked number one for animal cruelty cases and that's not a title that we want. Our three legislators here locally have stepped in and dug in for the fight and I think everybody in Kentucky needs to ask their representatives and senators what they're doing to help this."

Serita was rescued by STAR and the group is trying to prevent more animals like her from being abandoned and left for dead.

"For some people, circumstances change and they can't care for them. A lot of people don't know we can take them to the pound. A lot of it is, if we take them to the pound, they're going to be put down. But, that's not the case, we will find a home for them," comments Gagliano.

If you have any information on this most recent incident, call the Rowan County Sheriff's Office. The humane society is offering a $4,000 reward for information leading to whoever is responsible for the dog's death.

If you have information on this case, please contact:
Deputy Ruford Abner
606-784-5546

Case Updates

The reward is now $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for a dog found dead with its mouth taped shut.

Animal rights and rescue groups and private individuals have put up the money, including the Humane Society of America and United Rescue of Kentucky.

A white female dog with black speckles was found Jan. 18 off the KY 801-Farmers Sharkey exit. Someone had taped shut her muzzle and either killed her and threw her out or a car hit her.

The dog was possibly a setter, Dalmatian or pit bull mix.

Preliminary cause of death was mass trauma, according to a necropsy report from the Lexington Diagnostic Lab where the animal was transported.

A deputy from the Rowan County Sheriff's Office has been assigned to the case. Some leads have been called in from area residents who say they know of neighbors or family members who are cruel to animals.

The person responsible could be charged with second-degree cruelty to animals, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail or torture of a dog or cat.

Torture of a dog or cat is a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class D felony for each subsequent offense if the dog or cat suffers physical injury as a result of the torture. The charge is a Class D felony if the dog or cat suffers serious physical injury or death as a result of the torture.

STAR or Saving the Animals of Rowan, a local animal rescue group, said Kentucky is recognized throughout the country for its acceptance of animal abuse. The state is slow to acknowledge the victims and even slower to prosecute its perpetrators, according to its members.

They cite research that indicates all too often, those who would harm innocent animals are predisposed to abuse children.

"We are sickened and saddened that anyone would murder a helpless dog and then leave the evidence by the side of the road," said Jan Dacci, STAR member.

"It is our hope that our legislators will not only support laws against animal cruelty but will take action against those who break the law."

Kentucky needs spay and neuter laws but most importantly it needs responsible pet owners, she said.

Dacci told the story of a three-month-old black Labrador/pit or boxer mix that was thrown off a bridge into a creek in Rowan County Monday.

A college student witnessed it happening and climbed down into the creek to rescue the dog, that was later taken to a veterinarian for treatment.

The man who saw the incident didn't call police because he thought they wouldn't care, Dacci said.

Source: themoreheadnews.com - Jan. 28, 2011
Update posted on Jan 28, 2011 - 5:32PM

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Dog left for dead-mouth taped shutMorehead, KY (US)

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Dog left for dead-mouth taped shut
Morehead, KY (US)