AR-News: (OH - US)Puppy tortured and killed by hanging found in shed

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Dog pound investigates animal cruelty case

By KIESHA JENKINS
Staff Writer 

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ZANESVILLE -- The Muskingum County Dog Pound and the Muskingum County Humane Society need help to solve a case of horrendous animal cruelty. 

Beulah Hague, the Muskingum County Humane Society officer, received a call Thursday morning from a man who discovered a dead puppy suspended by its neck from household electrical wire in a shed on Frame Road. 

The man had been chasing after his own dog when he happened upon the three-sided shed and the dog. He immediately called Hague, as well as the Muskingum County Sheriff's Department. 

"(Assistant Dog Warden) Brian (Catlin), two other dog wardens and I went out to investigate, along with Deputy Dave Neil (with the sheriff's office)," Hague said. "And we found a dog hanging. Someone deliberately did this. They hung the dog so his back feet were just touching the ground." 

The dog was hung from a beam about two and a half feet off the ground. A length of wire about two feet long was tied around both the beam and the dog's neck. Catlin said in the past he has seen dogs accidentally hang themselves by jumping over something and getting caught, but in this situation there was nothing nearby the dog could have jumped over and the length of wire was too short to allow the dog to move. 

Neil said he went out to the scene but did not see the dog. He took the information of the homeowner, an elderly man with heart trouble. 

"He didn't know when it had happened or who did it," Neil said. 

Catlin estimated the yellow and white mix-breed male puppy was about 3 or 4 months old, and had been hanging in the shed for about three or four days. The puppy was not wearing a collar and had no identifying tags. 

Both Hague and Catlin are outraged at the situation, and shocked that a person would be capable of committing such a crime. 

"The dog didn't deserve this," Catlin said. "This is real cruelty." 

Hague is worried that the person who hung the dog may continue to hurt animals or even people. 

"That dog suffered tremendously," Hague said. "And whoever did it is not safe on the streets. What if they do this to a child or an elderly person? I thought Jeffrey Dahmer was dead." 

Neil said although the sheriff's office has taken a report of the situation, Hague and the Muskingum County Dog Warden are responsible for the initial investigations. 

"What (the sheriff's office) is doing is making reports in case they do have a suspect and need to do further investigation or go to court," Neil said. 

Catlin added that animal cruelty is a felony, and if a person is found guilty of the crime, they could face jail time and fines. 

Anyone who might have information about the situation is encouraged to call the Muskingum County Dog Warden at 453-0273. Callers may remain anonymous if they wish. 

kkjenkin at nncogannett.com 
450-6752 


Originally published Saturday, January 31, 2004