Investigators are searching for answers in the horrifying and heartbreaking abuse and death of a Pitbull.
The 5-year-old dog, named “Cargo,” was found badly beaten in front of a home in South Los Angeles on Monday, August 6. The dog had been assaulted both physically and sexually before being left to die on the street.
Ghetto Rescue, a police-founded group of animal and adoption activists based in Anaheim, California, shared the dog’s sad story on social media. “We know based on her sad demeaner she was mistreated in the short time she was out of the shelter,” the group published on Facebook. “The only thing we can be thankful for is she did not die on the sidewalk alone.”
After receiving word of the female dog who had endured vaginal trauma, GRFF rushed to the Florence neighborhood to rescue her and seek emergency medical treatment. Sadly, Cargo passed the day after her arrival to the veterinary hospital.
Now, as Ghetto Rescue fights to save more street dogs from a similar fate, the Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the incident and searching for the perpetrators. The LAPD’s Animal Cruelty Task Force has an active search warrant in the case, and officials say the suspects could face misdemeanor crimes of bestiality and felony charges of intentional injury to the animal.
Witnesses say they saw two black males toss the dog out of a truck before speeding off. When rescuers arrived, Cargo seemed resigned to her fate and was hardly responsive, with a rope tied around her neck.
The sweet and innocent dog, then called “Valerie,” had been adopted on July 23 after three months of living at the Orange County Animal Care shelter.
As OC Animal Care and local authorities look for answers and justice in the tragic case, anyone with information is asked to please contact the LAPD Animal Cruelty Task Force at 213-486-0450.
As a show of support for this lovely animals who are so badly mistreated, the social media hashtag #CargoStrong has been trending on various platforms, inspiring pet owners to adopt animals in the name she was given upon her rescue.
Please visit the official Facebook page of the Ghetto Rescue Foundation.