GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. — A $5,000 reward is now up for grabs for anyone who can help police find those responsible for starving a dog and then dumping the caged body in Clay County nearly a month ago.
A group of kayakers never imagined they would make a dark discovery in a creek off County Road 209 in Green Cove Springs.
“We just saw what I thought was the corner of a crab trap sticky out of the water," said the kayaker who found dog.
The kayaker asked not to be identified, but says when she got closer, she could see the cage had been tied shut. There was a food bowl, plastic bag and the dead dog inside.
As a dog owner herself, the discovery was one of horror.
“Did these people really lock this dog in this crate and throw it over the bridge to drown it, I thought the dog had been drowned," said the kayaker who found the dog.
However, forensic veterinarians say the dog was abused long before it was thrown into the water. The dog is a a pit bull or similar breed and it was found with a think collar around its neck.
"There was hardly any muscle to the dog, there was no food in the stomach, all the tests he ran indicated that the dog died of starvation, and was dead before it was thrown into the creek," Detective G. Winterstein, with the Clay County Sheriff's Office said.
Detectives believe the dog was probably dumped in the water 2-3 days before it was found on March 3.
With no cameras and few houses the residential road, it's now up to the community to help find those response.
“I would love for someone to turn this person in, if someone looks at the picture of the crate, thinks about, maybe my friend had a dog and now it’s gone. I would love for them to share this information," said the kayaker.
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the person or people responsible.
Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact Winterstein at 904-591-4551.