Phoenix police are on the hunt for a suspect in a disturbing case of animal cruelty in which a dog was doused in gasoline and set ablaze, according to reports from AZFamily. The 16-year-old pit bull/mastiff mix named Duke was reportedly sleeping in his backyard, early Tuesday morning when the horrific incident took place near 27th Avenue and Van Buren Street, resulting in injuries that led to the dog being euthanized.
Duke's owner, Stella McPhee, was at work when her pet was attacked. "Somebody tortured him. He was just trying to live out his last days," McPhee told AZFamily. Describing her beloved dog, she said, "He had a lot of personality. Everybody liked him. He was really friendly." According to McPhee, her other pet, Duchess, was there at the time of the crime but, managed to escape the flames, AZFamily reports.
Silent Witness has issued an alert and is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the individual responsible for this act. "If it happened to me, it could happen to your pet," McPhee added in her interview with AZFamily. The Arizona Humane Society has noted a stark rise in animal cruelty cases, with a 21% increase in investigated incidents just last year.
*** UP TO $1000.00 REWARD OFFERED ***
— Silent Witness (@SilentwitnessAZ) March 7, 2024
On Tuesday, March 5th, 2024 at approximately 5:26 a.m., an unknown person(s) poured gasoline on Duke a sixteen-year-old Pit Bull/Mastiff mix dog that was peacefully sleeping in his back yard. pic.twitter.com/bhRhGq5aPf
Those with any information are urged to reach out to Silent Witness either by calling 480-WITNESS for English speakers or 480-TESTIGO for Spanish speakers, as detailed in a 12News report. Tips can also be submitted online at silentwitness.org. McPhee hopes that justice will be served, stating, "Hopefully we’ll get to the bottom of it and Duke will get his justice because he darn sure deserves it," according to what she told AZFamily.
