Zelda the dog drowned with 12-pound bowling ball; thousands angry

Zelda the border collie was thrown into a river with a 12-pound bowling ball attached to her leash and left to drown. She struggled for air but lost the fight. And animal lovers are fighting mad.

“I am so angry right now ...” read one comment on the Facebook page of Sacramento-based Front Street Animal Shelter. More than 10,000 people shared their emotions and information on the page. Some wondered “why,” expressed their disgust and applauded that a suspect was being sought by police.

A microchip implanted in the dog led investigators to William Meek, 47, who already has outstanding warrants in connection with drug-related and animal-cruelty offenses.

Zelda’s owner, who was not identified, told investigators that Meek, of Sacramento, was supposed to have taken the dog to an animal shelter. It wasn’t clear why Zelda was being taken to a shelter.

What was clear was that in June the animal landed in the American River weighed down not only by a bowling ball but also a large rock tied to her leash. A necropsy revealed the dog’s lungs were full of water and that it had struggled for air, FOX40 reported.

“There’s no explanation for that. How could that possibly be humane or just?” Sacramento Animal Care manager Gina Knepp said.

A spokesperson for the police department could not immediately be reached.

For breaking news in Los Angeles and throughout California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA. She can be reached at veronica.rocha@latimes.com.