Plantation police said they are considering the case "an extreme act of animal cruelty," which is a felony and punishable by up to five years in prison.
Princess, who lost part of her tongue in the ordeal, is now recovering in a foster home and facing at least two more surgeries around her mouth, veterinary officials said.
Plantation police said on the morning of July 18, officers went to the 7000 block of West Sunrise Boulevard after receiving a call about a loose dog with its muzzle bound.
Officers attempted to catch the dog, chasing it from the 7000 block of West Sunrise Boulevard to 7561 NW 11 Place where they "played cat and mouse" but eventually caught the dog in a fenced yard, said Detective Robert Rettig, a spokesman for the Plantation Police Department.
Princess, believed to be a mixed breed pit bull, was transported to Coral Springs Animal Hospital for medical treatment. Medical staff told them the dog had severe injuries to its jowls and tongue, "which may be life threatening due to the potential of infection."
Princess had a collar with tags, and police found the owner in Lauderhill.
According to police, the owner said her dog ran away July 12 and she hadn't been able to find her even after posting information online.
On July 17, investigators said a call came in notifying authorities that a man had abandoned a dog matching the description of Princess near the Florida Turnpike overpass on West Sunrise Boulevard. The man was seen driving an unknown make older model black vehicle.
Coral Springs Animal Hospital Dr. Carl Jehn said Princess received surgery July 20 to clean away dead tissue and stitch her mouth back together.
She is scheduled for a second surgery Tuesday for additional reconstruction on her chin, and a third surgery will be with a dentist in another week for reconstruction of her gums.
She is no longer at risk of death, but medical officials said the wounds were "pretty severe…heart-breaking" and "our biggest concern is getting the areas that are open to heal correctly."
Jehn said the dog had "extensive damage 360 degrees around the muzzle all the way down to the bone. She's lost the tip of her tongue. It basically fell off and [there was] extensive damage to gums."
He said the wounds were probably painful for Princess, who is estimated to be two to three years old and has had puppies before.
"I'm sure it was not pleasant but she is doing remarkably well and seems to be in much better spirits," Jehn said. "She's a whole new dog. She's a little apprehensive around men but she doesn't seem mean or aggressive. She is really, really nice with the female nurses."
Rettig said medical experts aren't certain how long Princess had her mouth tied shut. Some say the injuries suggest it could have been up to two weeks, but others aren't aren't sure the dog would have survived that long.
Regardless, Rettig said the case is still being investigated.
"We're looking for leads," he said. "It could have been a stranger who did this or it could have been a disgruntled neighbor. All we can do is interview people and see where the evidence leads. It could be anything."
Plantation police urge anyone with information about this case to contact Broward County Crime Stoppers, anonymously, at 954-493-8477 or www.browardcrimestoppers.org.
(Sun Sentinel - July 27, 2015)
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