Update: PETA Offering $5,000 For Info On Injured Dog

SOUTHEAST, NY —People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) announced Thursday that it is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction on cruelty charges of those responsible for the condition of an injured dog found early Sunday morning in Southeast.

According to the Putnam County Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) the dog was found at approximately 4 a.m. at the intersection Sodom Road and Brewster Hill Road, and it was taken by a good Samaritan to Guardian Veterinary Specialists, a 24-hour animal hospital.

A veterinarian at the hospital found that the older, non-neutered male dog was 3/9 on the body scale index: it was underweight, its bones were raised with minimal tissue between the skin and bone, and its hips, spine and ribs were easily visible. The dog had severe dental disease, masses inside its mouth, long toenails, swollen paws and a broken bottom left jaw. There also was an untreated mass on its backside.

The Putnam County SPCA continues to investigate the incident, and PETA said it is hoping for help from the public in case any other animals are being neglected by the person responsible for the dog's condition. PETA has created a flyer to get the word out about the dog.

"This dog's body was rotting away for lack of veterinary care," PETA Vice President Colleen O'Brien said in a statement. "PETA urges anyone with answers to come forward so that whoever left him to suffer in so much pain can be held accountable."

Anyone with information about the owners of the dog is asked to call Putnam County SPCA Law Enforcement at 845-520-6915.