Sunday, April 19, 2015

Dog’s death under investigation in Wellsville

OHIO -- The grisly discovery of a dead dog in an abandoned garage a week ago has the village's Animal Control Officer Heidi Pecorelli looking for answers.

Pecorelli was called by Amanda Bender last Friday, reporting that her husband and 5-year-old son discovered the tan and white pit bull while searching for their cat.

Bender told Pecorelli they saw the dog's paw hanging out of a garbage bag that was tossed into a bin in the garage located in an alley between Anderson Avenue and Commerce Street.
   
Investigating, Pecorelli found the young dog inside three garbage bags, one of which was wrapped tightly around her head. The dog had blood coming from her mouth and anus, and Pecorelli said its death would have had to have been fairly recent for the blood still to be flowing as it was and because rigor mortis had not yet set in.

One of the dog's paws had the fur sloughed off to the skin, perhaps from being pulled by a rope, she speculated.

An olive green web belt was tied around the dog's neck so tightly that Pecorelli had to pry it off. It was also wearing a black web dog collar.

She estimated the dog's age to be between 1 and 2 years, although she thinks it was closer to 1 year old due to the good condition of its teeth. It was not emaciated, Pecorelli said.

A veterinarian asked about the condition of the dog confirmed that strangulation from the belt around its neck could have caused the bleeding, and Pecorelli said she believes it was strangled.

The owner of the property where the dog was found is deceased, and the house was recently demolished, she said, adding, "Someone said there was a man living inside the garage during the winter."

Pecorelli said she does have a few leads into what may have happened to the dog, saying with emotion, "It's my job to find out who did this, and I will. It will be dealt with in the manner it needs to be. I will press for the maximum penalty."

With that in mind, Pecorelli has given the dog the name of Muriel, which she said means "angel of peace and harmony," and an account, "Muriel's Peace Offering" has been established by the Wellsville Animal Advocacy Group (WAAG) at Huntington Bank to offer a reward to anyone furnishing information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for her death.

If the reward is not awarded to anyone, Pecorelli said she intends for the fund to be used for something in Muriel's memory, perhaps a small dog park.

Donations toward the reward can be made at any Huntington Bank branch.

Meanwhile, she asks that anyone with information about this incident call her at 330-383-0225 or 330-272-3199.

(Morning Journal News - April 18, 2015)

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