A Citrus County family is heartbroken after finding their 3-month-old puppy skinned alive and left to die.

The puppy, named Tank, is a good-natured, lab mix. His owners, Byron Shrewsberry and Melissa Richburg say he was tortured to death.

The couple just moved into a house with their five kids along Chameleon Point in Crystal River. On Sunday they found Tank dead in the backyard. Most of his skin gone.

"I could never imagine holding a dog down, a puppy at that, and skinning it alive," Byron said. "I don't understand that."

"Somebody to come in your backyard and steal your dog and torture it and let it go to suffer," Melissa said. "It's really scary."

Byron thinks Tank was trying to get home but didn't make it. Deputies are investigating and they are waiting on the cause of death.



"It was definitely a human that did it," Melissa said. "There is no animal that could do it perfect like they did."

"It takes a sick person to do something like that," Byron said.

The couple is scared of what might happen next. They're keeping their kids inside until they get some answers.

"I'm over my anger spell, but now, you know, I want justice," Byron said.

It was a disturbing end for a cute puppy that will be missed.