WEST BRANDYWINE TWP, Pa. (CBS) - A shocking case of animal cruelty has the Chester County SPCA asking for the public’s help.

Two firefighters, including the chief of the Wagontown Fire Company, were headed back to the firehouse around 8 o’clock Friday night, when they saw a glow in the bushes off Manor Road, in West Brandywine Township.

“We got out did an investigation, what appeared to be a brush fire,” said Chief L. Todd Ziegler, “further as we investigated, we found we did have an animal in a cage that was on fire in the bushes.”

Firefighters immediately called police, and now the departments are working together with the Chester County SPCA to figure out who committed what appears to be a heinous act of animal cruelty.

“This unspeakable crime is never something we get used to on the scene, never something that we forget about,” said Chester County SPCA spokesman Rich Britton, “we want to get these people, [or] persons responsible, off the street that do this kind of act to a defenseless animal.”

An necropsy will be performed on the dog Saturday, to determine the cause of death.

The Chester County SPCA is urging anyone who has information to give them a call at 610-692-6113 ext. 213.