Authorities in Southern California are searching for the person or persons behind a believed brutal sexual assault and battery of a pit bull who had just been adopted, The Orange County Register reported on Monday.

The 5-year-old dog named Valarie was found dying on Aug, 6, the report said. The dog was adopted on July 23 and was at a local shelter for three months.

She had suffered trauma to her vagina and her aorta was ruptured, Ghetto Rescue, an Anaheim-based rescue center said, according to the report.

“She was comfortable, and on pain medication. The only thing we can be thankful for is she did not die on the sidewalk alone,” the group’s Facebook post read.

The Los Angeles Police Department reportedly learned about the incident and has interviewed potential witnesses.

“There are two possible crimes, bestiality which is a misdemeanor, and intentional injury to the dog that was meant to inflict pain, suffering or death to the dog,” Det. Al Erkelens, told the paper. “If (someone) did something to cause the aorta to rupture, that is a felony.”

Local dog rescues have donated money to raise a reward for finding the culprit to $4,500.

He told the paper the department responds to about 10 cases of bestiality a year.