Dog beaten to death with hammer
Wichita, KS (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Apr 24, 2006
County: Sedgwick

Disposition: Open

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

A Wichita family found their pet beaten to death in their own backyard. With no suspect in sight, a dog's death could go unpunished.

Now the family wants your help to catch the person responsible for a vicious case of animal cruelty. Even if the dog's killer is found, weeks could make the difference between a slap on the wrist and felony charges. The crime happening just two months before the state's animal cruelty bill officially becomes law.

"I feel like they cut my heart out," said Rita Larcade. "All I wanted to do was take him the vet."

Rita Larcade is grieving for her four-year-old Yorkie, Hank, a small dog who was beaten to death around lunch time on April 24.

Larcade's daughter, Lola Tracy, found the the dog with his tiny head smashed open.

"The right side of his face was shoved into the ground," said Tracy. "I literally had to dig him out with my fingers. I rolled him over, and he was bloody on one side."

A hammer was found on the other side of the fence with the dog's blood on it.

Hank was rushed to the vet where he later died. Larcade and Tracy say they called Wichita Police to report the crime, but were referred to animal control. KAKE News called police who told us that was an error, and they would investigate the crime if the owners still wanted to file a report.

On April 27, Governor Sebelius will formally sign Magnum's law, which will provide stiffer penalties to anybody who abuses or intentionlly kills an animal. It will go into effect July 1.

Larcade and Tracy say they don't know who could have done something like this to a dog as small and harmless as Hank. They buried him in the backyard under one of his favorite shade trees.

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