Advertisement $5K reward offered in case of puppy found burned in Sacramento Good Samaritan finds puppy, calls police Share Shares Copy Link Copy

PETA is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the owner who burned and abandoned a 1-year-old German Shephard puppy near a Sacramento park.With her wagging tail and friendly licks, it's hard to believe the most recent addition to the Front Street Animal Shelter in Sacramento is recovering from third-degree burns that may have been intentional.The puppy was thrown from a car after being burned, which would explain the road rash on her head, shelter officials said.“What it looks like is perhaps a hot liquid, perhaps a chemical,” Front Street Animal Shelter Director Gina Knepp said. “But, it could have just been boiling hot water across her back."The dog, who doesn’t have a name yet, was saved April 25 by a good Samaritan near Danny Nunn Park in Sacramento. The woman who found the dog didn’t want to reveal her identity out of fear for whomever might have hurt the puppy.“I saw this dog weaving through traffic,” she said. “It was heartbreaking because I have pets."Now, a blue jacket covers the puppy’s wounds, which run from the back of her head all the way down her tail. Her bandages are checked regularly, and she has to wear a cone to prevent her from licking her wounds.“She’s doing really well, and she's a happy girl,” Knepp said. “We want to get to the bottom of this.”If intentional, her injuries could fall under felony animal cruelty, but so far the investigation has turned up empty. Authorities have even looked at security footage in the area.“We hit a couple of businesses,” Animal Control Chief Jace Huggins said. "We found one had some footage but really didn't catch anything."Animal control is asking for the public's help to find the owners of this resilient pup.“We need a phone call, we need someone to say, ‘Hey, that's my neighbor's dog,’” Knepp said. “If it’s a crime, we’ll do what needs to be done.”“This is a defenseless animal,” the good Samaritan said. “It's equal to doing that to a child.”Anyone with information can anonymously call the shelter at 916-808-5855.