$5K reward for conviction of those
responsible for starving dogs
February 13, 2015
By Mike Kelley
Santa Paula News
A reward of $5,000 is being offered by the Humane Society of the United States for the arrest and conviction of those responsible for starving two dogs that were found dead in a dog igloo on South Mountain Road.
An anonymous caller reported finding two adult pit bulls dead in a dog igloo on January 5; when officials arrived on the scene they found the dogs were severely emaciated. A Ventura County veterinarian confirmed the dogs died of starvation.
One pit bull was a brown male found wearing a blue collar; the other was a black and white female.
Eric Sakach, the senior law enforcement specialist with the Humane Society of the United States, called the suffering inflicted on dogs and other animals “absolutely unacceptable.”
“Anyone responsible deserves to be brought to justice,” Sakach said in a news release. “We hope our reward will help uncover the perpetrator of this awful crime.”
According to the release, the HSUS recently doubled its standard cruelty reward from $2,500 to $5,000, “thanks to a generous donation from an HSUS board member.”
The case is being investigated by Ventura County Animal Services; anyone with information should call Bryan Bray at 805-383-4717.
Animal cruelty is a subject that is now getting the serious attention of law enforcement, prosecutors and the community and is considered an essential step in protecting the community.
The connection between animal cruelty and human violence is well documented and studies show a correlation between animal cruelty and all manner of other crimes, from narcotics and firearms violations to battery and sexual assault.
The HSUS Animal Cruelty Campaign raises public awareness and educates communities about the connection between animal cruelty and human violence while providing a variety of resources to law enforcement agencies, social work professionals, educators, legislators and families. The HSUS offers rewards in animal cruelty cases across the country and works to strengthen laws against animal cruelty.
The National Sheriffs’ Association and The HSUS recently launched ICE BlackBox, a free smart phone tool, to allow users to record video of illegal animal cruelty and share it securely with law enforcement for possible investigation and prosecution.
