RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC) is looking for the person who shot and killed a five-month-old puppy. RACC said they responded to a call in the 2000 block of Accommodation Street in Mosby Court on Monday for a male pit-bull puppy found with multiple gunshot wounds.
"With this dog, there was no intervention that would have saved him, unfortunately," RACC Executive Director Christie Chipps Peters said.
The tan and white puppy was wearing a green camouflage nylon collar.
RACC is now leading an investigation to find the dog's owner as well as the person who is responsible for killing the puppy.
"We've had cases with less information that we have solved, because of the post or because of coverage from y'all to help us get out there, and people are like, 'Oh my gosh, I know exactly who that dog is,'" Chipps Peters said.
The center said it responds to about four or five animal shooting a year. Chipps Peters said there seems to be a trend in violent crime against animals.
"It's on the rise," she said. "We have seen an increase in more egregious violent crime toward animals this year."
In some cases, clinics respond to cases where an animal may be shot in self-defense. However, because of the nature of this case, investigators believe this may have been intentional, pointing to a larger issue.
"A life is a life, and if you feel comfortable shooting a dog in the back of the head, and three more times, then there's a bigger picture that we need to address," Chipps Peters said. "It never is just typically this simple. There's always something more involved."
In Virginia, charges for animal cruelty or neglect can range from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony.
"It is serious. And very rarely does a crime this egregious not include a human in some way. Crime is a crime is a crime. And a crime, that aggressive, typically transcends into the human world as well," she said.
Anyone with additional information can contact Metro Richmond Crime Stoppers, call 804-646-5573 or email paul.campbell@rva.gov. Informants can remain anonymous.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
