WASHINGTON -- An English bulldog from Woodland that reportedly was held for ransom, attracting international attention, has been found dead on the railroad tracks near Kelso.
The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office said a resident of Kelso called Monday and reported seeing a dead dog along the tracks Sunday night in the 2400 block of Talley Way. Based on the dog's markings, deputies confirmed it was the missing dog, Jagger, who had been struck by a train.
"He didn't deserve that at all," his owner, Jennifer Thomas of Woodland, said Monday. "I don't know who would do that. He was the sweetest boy. He'd never hurt anybody. I didn't even love animals before I got him — that tells you how special he was."
The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office said a resident of Kelso called Monday and reported seeing a dead dog along the tracks Sunday night in the 2400 block of Talley Way. Based on the dog's markings, deputies confirmed it was the missing dog, Jagger, who had been struck by a train.
"He didn't deserve that at all," his owner, Jennifer Thomas of Woodland, said Monday. "I don't know who would do that. He was the sweetest boy. He'd never hurt anybody. I didn't even love animals before I got him — that tells you how special he was."
She asked animal control officer Mike Nicholson to make an impression of Jagger's pawprint for her.
Nicholson, who retrieved the dog from the tracks, told her everyone at the Humane Society hoped the animal would come home safely.
"It's the hardest part of this job," he said.
A veterinarian on Tuesday will determine the cause of death and do a blood draw, he said. Sheriff's deputies have collected other evidence and are still working on the investigation, he said.
Initial estimates place the dog's death between 48 and 72 hours before being found.
Jagger was taken from the driveway of the Thomas home in Woodland on Oct. 5. Three days later, Thomas reported receiving text messages demanding she hand over her prescription painkillers and $1,000 if she wanted her dog back. The messages included photos of Jagger.
Thomas uses a wheelchair and said she doesn't have the money and needs the medication because of an accident.
The sheriff's office has had deputies working on the case since Jagger was initially reported missing, Sheriff Mark Nelson said.
"This appears to be a sad ending to this part of the investigation." Nelson said. "We've put many hours into this case, and I hate that the dog was killed, whether by a train or any other means. It doesn't mean that we're done with the investigation. We'll follow any leads we get to find who took Jagger."
The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information about the case to contact Deputy Laura Thurman or Chief Deputy Corey Huffine at 360-577-3092. Tips can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 360-577-1206.
(The Daily News - October 24, 2011)
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