Authorities are looking for three men in connection with the deaths of two dogs who were shot and abandoned along a road in Denton County in December.

JC (left) and Nessa (right) were shot to death after running away from their home during storms. (Denton County Sheriff's Office)

The dogs, a golden retriever named JC and a mixed lab named Nessa, ran away from their home in Justin on Dec. 14 after they were frightened by storms, according to the Denton County sheriff's office.

The pets' bodies were later found on Indian Trails Drive near Sam Reynolds Road, officials said.

A witness told investigators they saw a pickup around 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 16 in the area where the dogs were found. Three men were in the vehicle, the witness said.

Detectives want to identify the three men, who were all between 25 and 30 years old. Two of the men were white and heavyset, one with long black hair and a beard while the other had blond hair. The third man was black and possibly bald or has short hair, officials said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-388-8477.