MACON, Georgia—The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for throwing a puppy off of a bridge in Macon, Georgia.
The Case: On May 21, the Macon-Bibb County Sheriff’s office in Georgia was alerted to the discovery of a severely injured puppy. A witness reported seeing two suspects traveling in a four-door sedan along Mead Road throw a blue, black and grey backpack off a bridge onto railroad tracks. The witness retrieved the backpack and opened it to find a gravely injured puppy. The witness immediately took the puppy to SOS Rescue GA where a veterinarian discovered multiple old and new injuries, suggesting weeks of torture before the dog, who was estimated to be 10 weeks old, was thrown from the bridge. The puppy, now named Guy Payne, will need several surgeries to overcome the injuries sustained during his prolonged abuse.
Animal Cruelty: Securing the serious attention and engagement of law enforcement, prosecutors and residents in cases involving allegations of cruelty to animals is an essential step in protecting the whole community. The connection between animal cruelty and human violence is well documented. Studies show a correlation between animal cruelty and many other crimes, from narcotics and firearms violations to battery and sexual assault.
"The sickening abuse inflicted upon this defenseless puppy is inexcusable," said Kassi Bennett, case manager of Animal Crimes at the Humane Society of the United States. "We hope this reward encourages anyone with information to come forward and help us identify the person responsible for this horrific crime."
The Investigators: Macon-Bibb County Sheriff’s Office is investigating this case. Anyone with relevant information can report tips anonymously to 478-751-7500.
Resources: The Humane Society of the United States’ Animal Cruelty campaign raises public awareness and educates communities about the connection between animal cruelty and human violence while providing a variety of resources and support to law enforcement agencies, social work professionals, educators, legislators and families. We offer rewards in animal cruelty cases across the country and work to strengthen laws against animal cruelty.
The Humane Society of the United States doubled its standard cruelty reward from $2,500 to $5,000 thanks to a generous donation from a board member.