Reward offered for suspect who tied dog's neck with shoelace in California

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- A nonprofit organization is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect who constricted a dog's neck with a shoelace in Riverside County, California.

The German shepherd mix's neck wound was so deep that she suffered from what animal control officers described as an "embedded collar". The shoelace dug into the dog's skin over time, lacerating and eventually killing the surrounding flesh.

"This is clearly a major neglect cruelty case," said Riverside County Department of Animal Services Director Rob Miller. "We are stunned, like so many others will be, when they see how this dog was left to suffer."

A Good Samaritan, identified as 19-year-old Ernesto Perez, found the dog walking in the 21000 block of Pepper Drive in unincorporated Perris Thursday morning.

"Honestly, I thought her head was going to come off. That's how deep [the wound] looked," Perez said. "It's crazy. I have never seen anything like that. I don't know how anyone could let a dog get like that."

The dog was transported to the Jurupa Valley shelter, where she was sedated and treated. Veterinarian Sara Strongin said it appeared a shoelace was tightly bound around the dog's neck when she was a puppy.

The dog, who is now on antibiotics, is expected to survive. The nonprofit Animal Solutions Konnection Foundation has posted a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect responsible for the dog's abuse and neglect.

Anyone with information was urged to call Riverside County Animal Services at (951) 358-7387.

City News Service contributed to this report.