Reward Doubles For Tips After Dog Found Hanged In Vacant Detroit Home

DETROIT (WWJ) - The Michigan Humane Society and Detroit Dog Rescue are teaming up to offer a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for hanging a dog in an abandoned house on Detroit's west side.

The dog was found Wednesday at a vacant home in the 19400 block of Bentler, in a neighborhood near 7 Mile and Lahser roads. DDR will be matching the original reward offered by MHS, thereby bringing the total to $5,000.

"This is a horrific act of animal cruelty and [we] want to support MHS's efforts to find the person responsible for this act," Kristina Millman Rinaldi, executive director of Detroit Dog Rescue, said in a statement.

The MHS Cruelty Investigation Department received a call on Wednesday from concerned citizen, who said she a man walk into the home with a dog — and walk out without the animal a short time later. The woman waited a bit before going into the house, only to find the dog was dead.

Investigators responded to the house and found a young adult pit bull had been hung. The dog's body was still warm; indicating that it had died recently. The investigators searched the rest of the house and found another young adult pit bull alive and standing in sewer water in the basement.

"This isn't a dog, this is a victim. This is violence in the heart of our community" said Matthew Pepper, MHS President and CEO. "We must stand as a voice for this dog and other who suffer unspeakable cruelty at the hands of monsters."

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Michigan Humane Society Cruelty Investigation Department at 313-872-3401.