Abandoned Dog Had Wound Loosely Tied With Fishing Line
YOLO COUNTY (CBS13) — The Yolo County Sheriff's Department is investigating a case of animal abuse after two dogs were found abandoned near Clarksburg with severe injuries.
A tan and white pit bull was found by a passer-by in a pool of mud off Willow Point Road, Tuesday. Animal Services rushed the dog to UC Davis vet hospital where they discovered injuries consistent with an amateur spay procedure gone horribly wrong.
"The sutures were very far apart, and the suture material looked like knitted fishing line," said Chief Animal Services Officer, Vicky Fletcher.
"I've done this for 31 years and I have never seen this. This is the saddest thing that has come across our desk in a really long time," she said.
Despite surgery, the dog couldn't be saved and was euthanized.
Yolo County is investigating all possibilities, including a dog fighting ring, an illegal breeding operation, or owners who simply can't take care of their pets.
"We didn't see any fighting scars on her" Fletcher said referring to the euthanized pit bull.
According to Yolo County Animal Services, 16 abandoned dogs have been found in the rural Clarksburg area over the past 180 days.
Linda Updegraff runs Dinky Diner, a popular Clarksburg gathering spot along the marina. Updegraff says abandoned dogs are a big problem in the area. In fact, she says she tried capturing a small dog herself a few days ago but it ran away.
"Actually one kid got bit by one of them. He tried to capture it and got bit," Updegraff said.
"They just abandon them. They come with their cars, they just literally throw them out the door or something. It's awful. It happens a lot here" she said.
Yolo County says 10 of the 16 abandoned dogs were pit bulls.
The surviving pit from this week they say is doing well recovering at the animal services shelter, and already has someone interested in adopting her.
The Yolo County Sheriff's Department is asking anyone with information on who may be abandoning the dogs to come forward.
