Neighbors: Dogs dismembered, pieces placed near homes of owners
HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (WZTV) — Investigators are looking into a brutal animal cruelty case in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. An officer at the police department tells FOX 17 News a dog was cut open and killed.
The community is shaken up over it, saying this is not the only attack on a dog in the area. One witness tells FOX 17 News what he saw was so sick, he didn’t even want to think about it again.
We spoke to the owners of one of the dogs who was brutally murdered, a 13-year-old adopted pit bull boxer named Dozer. FOX 17 News is withholding details about what happened due to the disturbing nature of the case.
Dozer was a gentle giant, who loved to give his owner affection. He was adopted from the Christian County Animal Shelter.
"It’s worse than what we usually see,” says Irene Grace, the shelter director.
She says something is going on in Christian County, something bad, and it's not just Dozer, it's other dogs too.
"We are used to seeing neglect, and abuse, but we are not used to seeing anything like we have seen lately,” says Grace.
Neighbors say dogs have been dismembered and pieces have been placed near the homes of owners.
"Makes me not feel good at all, it's a little bit scary, and hopefully the answers will come soon,” says Grace.
"It’s a member of the family when that happens,” says Larry Ward, a Hopkinsville dog owner.
Word of what has been going on has struck a nerve with Ward.
"I feel sorry for them if I catch them in my yard trying to grab my girls, because it won't be pretty,” says Ward.
Grace wants pet owners to watch their dogs closely, afraid of what community members are uncomfortable even talking about.
"When people do terrible things to animals, they tend to do terrible things to people and children, and it's a concern,” says Grace.
"We still won't let them out of the yard without monitoring them for that very reason,” says Ward.
Investigators with the Hopkinsville Police Department say Dozer’s case is being actively investigated.
They also tell me that it is the only ongoing animal cruelty case they are aware of in the area.
