Reward for information leading to the conviction of the person responsible for the cruel abuse and abandonment of a German Shepherd near Malibu Creek Canyon has tripled.
Animal protection organizations, In Defense of Animals and Peace 4 Animals, previously offered a joint $5,100 reward. And then an additional $2,500 was offered by Hollywood Producer Marc Gurvitz of Brillstein Entertainment Partners on Tuesday, July 09.
In a press release by In Defense Of Animals, they revealed that the incident happened on the evening of July 03.
“At approximately 7:45 p.m., two compassionate hikers discovered the distressed dog. His mouth was cruelly zip tied shut, and another zip tie constricted his neck,” the animal protection organization wrote.
The hikers jumped into action to save the poor German Shepherd. They called 911 and managed to remove the zip tie from the dog’s mouth before the police and animal control arrived.
Upon rescuing the dog, a Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control official reveals that the dog also had inflammation, warts, and skin tags all over his body.
“The officer suspected the dog had been exposed to poison oak.”
One of the hikers told KTLA, ““Someone did this intentionally. They left him stranded, down a hill in the middle of nowhere off the side of the road. They left him suffering. They left him for dead.“
Currently, the dog, now named Argon, is at the Agoura Animal Care Center where he is receiving necessary care and attention.
Argon is a seven-year-old German Shepherd and he is undergoing tests for suspected for lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.
Fleur Dawes, Communications Director of In Defense of Animals, said “We are grateful for the quick actions of these hikers and law enforcement, but our efforts must continue.”
“We urge anyone with information about this cruel act to come forward. We are determined to find the person responsible for this horrific abuse and hold them accountable since they are a danger to others.”
Meanwhile, Katie Cleary, Founder of Peace 4 Animals and World Animal News, calls the incident “reprehensible” saying, “This cruel and heartless act of abandoning an innocent German Shepherd in scorching temperatures with his mouth zip-tied over the 4th of July weekend is reprehensible.”
The animal protection organizations are now appealing to the public for any information that may lead to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person responsible.
If you have any information, please call: 415-879-6879.