Dog Tied To Car & Dragged For More Than 500 Feet, Officials Investigate Cruelty
BRISTOL, Pa. (CBS) -- Authorities in Bucks County are investigating another case of possible animal cruelty.
The dog's name is Bear and he may be in a lot of pain now, but fortunately doctors say the 3-year-old lab mix will be just fine.
Dr. Meg Weil with the Center for Animal Referral and Emergency Services said, "He wasn't able to walk, so he was carried in, injuries to his paws were pretty severe. I think he's very lucky this could have ended much more tragically."
Bear could still need surgery though for the wounds on his chest and his paws will have to be bandaged for up to a month. He suffered the injuries Wednesday morning when he was tethered to the antenna of his owner's car and dragged for at least 500 feet.
Bear's owner, Henry Zaragoza, is adamant it was an accident.
"Went back to my car, hook him up to the antenna, he sits under a shade, I read my newspaper, he looks at everybody walking by," Zaragoza said.
Zaragoza says everyday he takes Bear for a walk along the River in Bristol. He says he took off driving in a rush when his daughter called with an emergency.
"People were yelling and honking the horn, I thought somebody was in a hurry, so when I got on the main road, this guy came running and he's pointing. So I thought I killed somebody so when I got out of my car, it was my dog. I couldn't believe it happened," Zaragoza said.
Zaragoza could face criminal charges. But he says he's more concerned for Bear's future without him. Unable to pay for his medical bills, Zaragoza signed over his ownership to the SPCA.
"He is going out for walks. The nurses said he's prancing in the grass. He did eat some chicken for us today. He's a very sweet dog, very sweet," Dr. Weil added.
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So from CARES, Bear will be taken to the Bucks County SPCA where he'll continue to recover and then eventually be put up for adoption. Authorities say you can follow his progress on their website.
If you are interested in making donations to help pay for his medical bills or adopting Bear down the road, you may call the Bucks County SPCA at (215) 794-7425 or log onto their website: http://www.bcspca.org
Reported by Elizabeth Hur, CBS 3
