Delaware Animal Services is asking the public for help after a dog was found “barely alive” off North Little Creek Road in Dover earlier this week.
Delaware Department of Transportation workers discovered the dog “clinging to life” in a wire crate hidden among tall weeds near the Route 1 overpass, according to a news release issued Friday by the Department of Health and Social Services.
Animal welfare officers arrived on scene to find the dog “barely responsive” and “covered in sores and scabs,” according to the agency. She had lost most of her hair. The dog was rushed to a veterinary hospital but “despite best efforts to save her, she subsequently died from her condition,” the agency said in a release.
She is believed to have been about two years old and was wearing a blue, orange and white striped collar, according to the department. She also had very long nails.
Her breed could not be determined due to her condition, and she did not have a microchip, the release said.
Cruelly or unnecessarily killing or injuring an animal is a felony in Delaware. Anyone convicted of such a felony is prohibited from owning or possessing animals for 15 years, with some exceptions, and subject to a $5,000 fine, according to the Delaware code.
Delaware Animal Services is urging the public to report any information related to this incident by calling 302-255-4646. Information can also be reported online, and tips may be made anonymously.
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