An international animal protection organization has added $1,500 to a $3,000 reward fund being offered to find the person responsible for cutting the ears off a one-month-old puppy.
The puppy, named Sunny by staff at the county shelter, was found abandoned in a Target parking lot in Mission Valley on Nov. 19. Veterinarians suspect his ears were cut off with either a pair of scissors or a serrated knife.
In Defense of Animals (IDA) added to the reward fund established by San Diego Animal Advocates.
The Department of Animal Services is looking for any additional puppies who may have been similarly abused.
“This horrific cruelty is shocking and difficult to comprehend,” said Bill Dyer, IDA’s Southern California representative. “Anyone who would commit such a crime to a dog is capable of harming human beings, according to FBI profilers. They must be caught and brought to justice.”
Patricia Garcia and her family found the puppy as they left the Mission Valley Target. The family heard what sounded like whimpering coming from a nearby dumpster, upon further investigation the family found the one-month-old puppy.
The puppy looked like it was covered in something oily, Garcia said. She ran to her car to get some newspaper to put the puppy in and rushed him to the San Diego Department of Animal Services.
Candy Schumann, Volunteer Executive Director of Spay and Neuter Action Project (SNAP), is serving as Sunny’s foster mother and said the puppy is doing great.
“He is doing fantastically. He is very confident, healthy, active, loves to play, can entertain himself,” she said. “No issues.”
Sunny's ears work just fine, the damage is mostly cosmetic according to Schumann.
"It just makes him unique," she said.
The puppy will survive his ordeal, but animal control officers still want answers.
The penalty for felony animal cruelty is state prison and a $1000 fine.
The adoption process cannot begin until the investigation into her injuries has been completed.
Once the investigation wraps, an application for her adoption will be put up on the animal shelter's website.
The animal shelter will not be taking names of interested adopters before that time.
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact Lieutenant Dan DeSousa at 619-767-2624.
