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$25K reward approved in suspected animal cruelty case [updated]

by The AV Times Staff • September 1, 2015

Photos of Fergus the golden retriever courtesy of the Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue. Photos of Crissie the Pit bull courtesy of Doggy Smiles Rescue Inc.
Photos of “Fergus” the golden retriever courtesy of the Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue. Photos of “Crissie” the pit bull courtesy of Doggy Smiles Rescue Inc.

LOS ANGELES – The Board of Supervisors approved a $25,000 reward Tuesday for information leading to the person or people who have been burning dogs with caustic chemicals in the Antelope Valley.

Supervisor Michael Antonovich initially said he would ask his colleagues to approve a $10,000 reward, but he announced last week he was increasing the reward amount to $25,000. That includes contributions from private sources, he said.

“By increasing this reward, we hope to encourage the public to come forward with any information that will help us identify, apprehend and prosecute those responsible for these depraved acts of cruelty,” Antonovich said.

The crimes against dogs came to light last month when a golden retriever was brought to a Lancaster animal shelter suffering from severe burns on its neck and back.

The dog, which has since been named “Fergus,” was brought to the shelter Aug. 11 and subsequently turned over to the Animal Medical Center of Southern California in West Los Angeles, where he is continuing to recover.

Doctors said they believe somebody poured battery acid or some other type of corrosive material on the dog.

Animal control officials said at least three other dogs had been found with similar injuries in recent weeks, and two of them had to be euthanized.

Help with Crissie’s medical care

The dog that survived is a pit bull that has been named “Crissie,” according to Doggy Smiles Rescue, the local rescue group that pulled the dog from the Lancaster animal shelter.

“Even in her obvious pain, she is so sweet and such a love bug! Crissie deserves a chance to receive the best medical care,” the group said on a fundraising page.

Doggy Smiles Rescue is seeking donations to help pay for Crissie’s medical care, which is estimated to cost around $5,000. To donate to this effort, visit http://www.gofundme.com/ns2uze68.

A Gofundme page established by the Golden Retriever Rescue Group to raise money for Fergus’ care has raised more than $25,000. An update on the page noted that officials in both Kern and Los Angeles counties are investigating the dog injuries, since at least two of the dogs brought to the Lancaster shelter apparently came from Kern County.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Lancaster Station Detective Bureau at 661-948-8466.

UPDATE: AT LEAST 7 REPORTED INCIDENTS

According to a news release issued Tuesday by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, there have been at least seven reported incidents over the last year of dogs being found, or brought to local shelters, with what appears to be caustic chemical burns on their backs. The dogs include one golden retriever and six pit bulls; and the injured dogs were located in various areas, including Lancaster, Palmdale and Rosamond, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

“Investigators have not yet been able to determine if the injuries sustained by the dogs are as a result of an intentional criminal act or some other cause.  They are working diligently with animal care professionals and chemical experts to determine the origin of the substance that is causing the injuries,” the LASD news release states. Read the full LASD news release here. View a related news release from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office here.

Anyone with information is asked to call LASD Lancaster Sheriff’s Station Detective Daniel Gore at (661) 940-3851 or (661) 948-8466, or the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control at (661) 974-8096.

 

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Previous related stories:

Antonovich to propose $25K reward in AV dog abuse case

Burned dog recovering, investigation launched to find abuser

Filed Under: Crime/ Safety, Lancaster, Rosamond

15 comments for "$25K reward approved in suspected animal cruelty case [updated]"

  1. tm says

    September 3, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    Are they even sure its a case of animal abuse ..or have they put any thoughts as to a skin disorder..or maybe these dogs are hiding under vehicles to get out of the heat and getting burns from the vehicles..And yes this happens..seen it before…these are strays and we have had some rough weather… I hope they are not assuming it’s intentional and actually having a thorough investigation…I hope the skin scrapings and/or skin biopsies accurately determine the cause of these “burns”.

  2. ORLEAN RATCHFORD says

    September 2, 2015 at 3:29 pm

    OK,WE ALL KNOW THIS IS A SICK PERSON,SO LETS GET AT THE BUSINESS AT HAND TO GET THIS PERSON. WE need more info-such as ,are these dogs running free or behind chain link fences? were these dogs tied down where they could not move around the yard? Is there anything that they all had in common that made them targets? Did these attacks happen on certain days of the week ? Were they male and females that were attacked?Was it during any part of the month such as always around the beggining or end of the mont? were there free food lines near by on these days? If anyone knows answers to these or has something else to share put it down so we can all try to get this person

    • Quigley says

      September 2, 2015 at 6:19 pm

      AV Times this is your department…..any chance in getting more information out to the public?

    • KayDee says

      September 2, 2015 at 6:51 pm

      “Investigators have not yet been able to determine if the injuries sustained by the dogs are as a result of an intentional criminal act or some other cause…” That’s coming from LASD according to the article. First let them determine if the dogs were actually attacked and then all that information can follow. But they shouldn’t be releasing all that information to the public anyway. They can’t jeopardize the investigation just to satisfy the public’s curiosity. Better that they catch the suspect (if there is one) and then save all that information for his/her trial.

      • Quigley says

        September 2, 2015 at 7:25 pm

        25k should bring a few leads to the table….as they say money talks! Obviously they were intentionally attacked!

  3. Ryan Hunt says

    September 2, 2015 at 12:36 pm

    Kern County? Maybe a good place to look would be in Rosemond?

  4. r.lopez says

    September 2, 2015 at 11:31 am

    Unfortunately I experienced something similar with my dog this past Friday I suspect my neighbor poisoned my dog I had an 150 pound Italian Mastiff that was only 3 years old I came home and found him laying in the floor look like he was in pain at first I suspected that he had injured his back legs when I took him to the vet blood results came back that he was poisoned and his kidney and liver had been destroyed by the large amount of person that he was given unfortunately I had to put my dog down.
    people don’t understand that these animals are part of the family these people need to be stopped unfortunately I do not have evidence that it was him but a few of my neighbors suspect that it was him due to the fact that he hates animals people like this need to be stopped l.
    R.I.P MY BOY KILO

    • HEMi says

      September 2, 2015 at 9:23 pm

      hey I’ve been looking into this these dogs have just been being taken because they were polite dogs I always match up the missing dogs and the missing profile I don’t know why the owners don’t get them back it’s not like they are stuck with a big bill

      • HEMi says

        September 2, 2015 at 9:27 pm

        I’d like to let dude know to put the pipe down I’m right behind you and quit recycling your batteries officers take a look for reports of stolen batteries

  5. Anonymous says

    September 2, 2015 at 2:08 am

    Anyone with information is asked to call the County Department of Animal Care and Control at (661) 974-8096 or L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy Daniel Gore at (661) 940-3851.

  6. fur baby lover says

    September 1, 2015 at 7:50 pm

    Is it some kind of ‘trend’, or is something in the water? There is another case of this in San Antonio, TX: http://www.examiner.com/article/texas-man-arrested-for-dousing-dog-with-hydrochloric-acid . The guy was arrested, but the court released him on OR, smh.

  7. lee says

    September 1, 2015 at 7:19 pm

    What a sick low life. Whoever you are, you are nothing but trash. If you think you’re tough come forward and take your punishment. You’re hiding like a coward because you know you’re wrong. May you suffer the same as you have inflicted on these poor defenseless animals!

  8. whatashame says

    September 1, 2015 at 4:49 pm

    What a shame! A awful, awful sick thing for someone to do. My heart goes out to those poor dogs.

    Someone, somewhere, must know who this is!!!
    Hopefully the $$$ will get someone talking.

    If this is a person who is a loner, no friends etc. we have all heard it before,
    animal abuse leads to human abuse. We need to get this creep off the streets for good, before it’s to late.

    • wait.. says

      September 1, 2015 at 5:01 pm

      wait… so if you are good looking enough to have friends and dates and such, you wont become a nutcase? But those in life not as lucky as you might become an animal abuser? So loners become nutcases and those of you pretty people don’t? So life is all about the luck u were dealt?

  9. unbelievable says

    September 1, 2015 at 2:00 pm

    What kind of sick twisted person would do this to a dog? This person needs to be stopped before adults and children become the next victim.

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