Quincy Police are asking for the public's help to find the abuser of "Puppy Doe," a pit bull which was violently tortured to the point where the animal needed to be euthanized because of its injuries.
Authorities held a press conference to talk about the Massachusetts case, revealing details about the abuse. Quincy police Chief Paul F. Keenan confirmed the pit bull suffered from multiple injuries including fractured skull, broken paws and ribs, burns to the face, starvation and it was stabbed in the eye.
The pit bull was a puppy about 1 or 2 years old, according to investigators. The puppy was reportedly given away by its original owner on a Craiglist ad.
Police are concerned that the abuser will hurt another animal or escalate to hurt another person. Since the story was released to the media on Sept. 19, authorities have received numerous phone calls and tips.
"The phones have been ringing off the hook," Keenan told the Boston Herald. "There's a lot of, 'I think I saw that dog on this street,' or, 'That dog looked like a dog I used to have, and I gave it to somebody.' We've had actually calls from dog whisperers and dog psychics. It's gone crazy."
Keenan told CBS Boston a detective is searching for the alleged abuser.
"We take it very seriously," he said. "We don't have an awful lot to go on right now, but we are canvassing the area to see who belongs to this dog or where the dog came from."
Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey has assigned a prosecutor with "experience and training in animal cruelty cases to assist in the investigation," CBS reports.
The district attorney asks anyone with information about the crime to come forward.
"We think the individual who may be involved in this type of torture of an animal is capable of doing it again to another animal or even worse," Morrissey said.
Animal Rescue League of Boston is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to prosecution.
Anyone with information about the case of "Puppy Doe" should contact:
The Animal Rescue League of Boston, Law Enforcement Services
(617) 226-5610
cruelty@arlboston.org
Quincy Police Department
Det. Thomas Pepdjonovich
(617) 745-5774
