Published: June 29, 2009 08:57 pm      

Humane society offers reward in dog poisonings

Somerset — A local non-profit organization is hoping to jump-start an investigation into a rash of suspected dog poisonings in a southern Pulaski County community by offering a reward for any information that may lead to an arrest.

The Pulaski County Humane Society announced it would pay a $1,000 reward for any pertinent information that may lead to an arrest and conviction in the emotional case, which began in late 2008 after residents in the Garland Bend neighborhood of Tateville began losing their dogs after the pets began ingesting antifreeze — a sweet-smelling, highly toxic substance.

“The Pulaski County Humane Society is understandably concerned about these incidences of animal cruelty,” stated a press release from the organization. “Although the case has supposedly been under investigation for many months, the Sheriff's Department has failed to prosecute anyone for this crime.”

Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputy John Hutchinson has been investigating the case since September 2008 when dogs began dying from ingesting the toxin. At least three dogs have been confirmed killed, and residents in Garland Bend have contended that at least two other dogs died after ingesting the poison.

Hutchinson has been investigating the possibility that someone had placed the bowls of antifreeze in residents’ fenced-in yards and kennels to ensure that the pets would discover the liquid.

In an article published in March about the poisonings, Hutchinson said one of the bowls may have been carried to a location by an animal, but he also said the others couldn’t have made their way into the fenced-in yards and pens without someone placing them there.

“Due to the bowls being in the fenced yards, I am sure that this was done purposely in an attempt to kill the dogs,” Hutchinson said in an e-mail.

Several residents stated in to the Commonwealth Journal in March that bowls filled with the toxic substance were discovered in their yards multiple times.

One resident reportedly told Hutchinson that she mixed up antifreeze with cat food to kill skunks, but that resident insisted she didn’t carry those bowls into the neighbors’ yards. There had also been unconfirmed reports that the person of interest had bragged about “getting rid” of the animals to others in the neighborhood.

There were no updates to the case as of Monday afternoon, according to Hutchinson.

The humane society is asking that anyone with information about the poisonings contact the organization at 451-2367. The $1,000 reward will be paid upon successful prosecution of the case.