Award Offered in Dog Mutilation

The day after a dog belonging to her deaf and nearly-blind 84-year-old mother was found skinned alive, a distraught Carol Johnson said she can’t understand why anyone would hurt the tiny pug named Pal, an animal that “couldn’t even really bark and never even raised his lip in a snarl.”

More than $11,000 has been contributed to an award fund for information leading to the capture of the mutilator.

Her mother has been “laying in bed in shock” ever since the 4-year-old dog died from his injuries several hours after being found in her mother’s Encino yard Tuesday, Johnson said.

Several groups and individuals--including Los Angeles Animal Services, the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and an animal welfare advocate--have launched investigations.

It was not the first such incident in the neighborhood. Another resident of the 16600 block of Morrison Street in Encino said his cat was mutilated three months ago.

Meanwhile, one anonymous donor put up a $10,000 reward for information leading to the dog’s attacker, while several others have added more than $1,000 in contributions to the fund.

Johnson said the dog was her mother’s “chubby little buddy. I know it’s only a dog, but he never hurt anybody. It’s like hurting an innocent child.”

The Los Angeles Department of Animal Regulation began an investigation Wednesday, spokesman Peter Persic said. He said the agency’s investigators will be searching for witnesses and will have the dog’s body examined by its chief veterinarian.

“We take animal cruelty very seriously, and will definitely be checking our records for past incidents in the area,” Persic said. “But I want to advise people not to panic. At this point, we are not ruling out that the dog was attacked by another animal, like a coyote. We always approach investigations without preconceived notions.”

The SPCA Los Angeles is also investigating the case, said Executive Director Madeline Bernstein. She said her organization and Animal Services will share information as they collect their findings.

“We believe this was intentional,” Bernstein said. She added that the act probably constitutes a felony under animal cruelty laws.

Canoga Park resident Barbara Fabricant, founder of the private animal welfare organization Humane Task Force, said she is conducting her own query into the incident. She said she was warning pet owners in the area to keep a close watch on their animals and keep the gates to their yards locked.

Travis Wagenbach, who has lived next door to the elderly dog owner for 27 years, said he found “the front half of his cat with, strangely enough, no blood anywhere” lying in his yard three months ago. Several months before that, he found a disemboweled cat in her yard, and called a local animal shelter to remove it, he said.

He recalls other similar incidents--mostly involving cats--that have occurred in the immediate area over the last few years. He said the incidents were not reported.

Coyotes, who commonly prey on cats, are frequently seen in the area.

Wagenbach said the woman hardly ever left the house and that he was familiar with her dog because Pal would break through the fence to play with his Dalmatian, Sam.

“I’m really worried,” Wagenbach said. “There are some sick people out there. My dog is going to sleep with me now.”

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The donor of the $10,000 reward fund was described by her lawyer only as a benefactor of animal rights groups. Leo Schwarz, a Calabasas attorney, said the woman--who preferred to remain anonymous because she has a recognizable name--learned of the case Wednesday.

“She was appalled by the cruelty and she thought this might help put a stop to it,” Schwarz said.

Others outraged after hearing about the case said they also wanted to donate reward money. Michael Kamen, a West Los Angeles resident, pledged $1,000.

“If people like us let people like that exist, it’s no wonder the world is the way it is,” he said.

Schwarz has agreed to consolidate donations into a single reward fund, and has asked the Los Angeles SCPA to oversee it. The SCPA tip line can be reached at (800) 540-7722.

Times staff writer Jose Cardenas contributed to this story.