A $16,000 reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons sought in the torture and death of a dog found bound and burned near Fellows Lake.
“This is an alarming case, because this dog was not only dropped off here, but was bound. So it couldn’t get away from the fire,” said Jim Arnott, Greene County sheriff, at a press conference Thursday afternoon.
“This community does not accept animal abuse and animal cruelty, and the residents of Greene County want some answers,” Arnott said.
Arnott added that the main clue as to who the owner might be is the fact that the dog, which died after it was found on Jan. 11, had unusual eyes. One was blue and the other was half-blue and half-brown.
“But I also want to put out there that if someone lives in that area, and you have any type of video surveillance or any knowledge of anybody around that area that may either own the dog or have knowledge of this crime or feel they have information, we encourage you to call and let us know,” Arnott said.
The Greene County Sheriff’s office tip line number is (417) 829-6230. The information can be provided anonymously. Information can also be provided by going to the sheriff’s office website and clicking the tab that says “submit a tip online.”
A driver spotted the female dog along the 3500 block of North Farm Road 197 on the morning of Thursday, Jan. 11, not far from Fellows Lake, north of Springfield.
Although it had been bound with zip-ties, the dog — a blue-heeler mix about 1 year of age — dragged itself from a place on the grass where it had been set on fire. A photo shown at the press conference depicted the burned patch of grass where the dog had been.
Driver took injured dog to vet’s office, where it died
The driver who found the injured animal took it to the Fair Grove Veterinary Clinic. Greene County deputies went to the clinic at 10 a.m., and 45 minutes later were at the scene where the dog was burned.
Arnott said there was little information gleaned from the scene, but added that the sheriff’s office received some video footage and would soon review it.
The dog died from its injuries at 8 p.m. Jan. 11.
One likely charge would be a Class E felony under Missouri law — animal abuse with suffering as a result of torture and mutilation consciously inflicted while the animal is still alive. A Class E felony is punishable buy up to four years in prison and a $10,000 fine upon conviction.
A second likely charge would be arson in the third degree, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in county jail and a $2,000 fine.
Arnott said he was aware that in some instances, someone who abuses animals also abuses people.
“When you see something like this, it’s really hard to fathom the burning part,” Arnott said. “Why would someone do something like this? … The facts are that this dog was bound. This dog was set on fire and abandoned.”
