Animal rights activists have raised the reward for information about two dead dogs that were dumped on a street corner in Woodbridge. It comes as the Woodbridge Police Department and Woodbridge Animal Control continue to investigate what happened and how the dogs ended up there.
It happened where Brookwood Drive meets Johnson Road—a place that has its share of neighborhood activity.
“Kids wait for the bus at that corner. Most of the people on this street have dogs, and we all walk our dogs around that corner,” said Sam Hughes, who lives there.
But that area was also where a local man spotted the dogs’ bodies around 11:45 a.m. Friday, according to animal control.
“I saw that afternoon there was a police officer there. I saw a bunch of neighbors, had no idea what was going on,” Hughes recalled.
He told News 12 that only changed Tuesday morning when he saw a Facebook post from animal control asking for the public’s help in the case.
“I put two and two together, realized that's my corner where I walk my dog every day. And yeah, my stomach turned over,” Hughes explained.
Both animals were female micro bully-type dogs, according to animal control. One was an adult and white and tan in color. The other was a puppy, white in color with brownish brindle patches around each eye. She was in a garbage bag, animal control said.
“Clearly this was intentional. You don't just toss off a garbage bag of a 4 to 5-month-old puppy with a mama dog by the side,” stated Zilla Cannamela, president of Desmond’s Army Animal Law Advocates.
The animal rights group has offered a reward for information leading to an arrest.
“It was $5,000. It’s been bumped up to $6,000 now because we received a pledge for another $1,000,” Cannamela said, adding that it's the third case like this in northern New Haven County. “Whether they're connected or not, that's for the police to determine.”
It's not known yet how the dogs died. Their bodies have gone to the University of Connecticut for necropsies.
For now, people in the neighborhood said they’re appalled and hoping for answers.
“Terrible. Terrible—especially at this time of year. Why? Go find someone to adopt them,” said Patty Neeson.
“You don't expect to see that in Woodbridge, certainly not in this neighborhood,” added Hughes.
Anyone with information is asked to call Woodbridge Animal Control at 203-389-5991 or the Woodbridge Police Department at 203-387-2511.