3 dogs found dead in abandoned U-Haul van in Boston
BOSTON - Neighbors said they could smell it before they realized what it was. Three dogs were found dead in the back of a U-Haul van on Edgewater Drive. People who live on the street said the van had come and gone for weeks and no one seemed to know who it belonged to.
In the last couple of weeks, neighbors described seeing someone take dogs in and out of the van. On Monday, multiple witnesses said they saw a man carrying water cooler jugs to the U-Haul to rinse off two dogs.
According to the police report, neighbors called 911 on Tuesday afternoon. Many said the smell was unbearable and flies were surrounding the van. One neighbor told WBZ-TV he went to look in the van, but the windows were tinted, and he was overwhelmed with flies.
"Suddenly I smelled something really bad I didn't know it was coming from that truck. Trust me," said Yves Vilerson. "When I tried to look. It was very smelly and there were a thousand flies in that truck."
In the police report, arriving officers ultimately found three dead dogs in the back of the van. One was lying in a cage. Officers also reported finding dog food near the front of the van, empty water containers, and a bleach container.
Boston police working to track down renter
Boston police said they are working with U-Haul to track down the renter of the vehicle. They are also asking anyone with information to come forward.
Temperatures in Boston have been above 90 the last few days. "Within a few minutes it can become a life-threatening situation," said Dr. Kiko Bracker of Angell Animal Medical Center.
He says in temperatures like these, every second counts. "If you are suspicious about something that maybe is amiss, where an animal or a person is at danger, there is just no harm in saying something, and there is only benefit," Dr. Bracker said.