By the time she reached the ANNA Shelter on Tuesday, the dog now called Jolene was soaked, shaking and barely responsive. Staff say whoever left her in Erie had zip-tied both her front and back legs so tightly that her hind limbs were grotesquely swollen. Her body was marked by urine scalding and infection, signs she had been left like that for far too long.
Shelter workers sedated Jolene, carefully cut the ties off her legs and rushed her to a veterinary critical-care specialist for emergency treatment. Even in a field where heartbreak comes with the job, this one rattled people.
The ANNA Shelter described the case as "the most heinous acts of torture we have ever witnessed" and went public with an urgent plea for information. Staff say Jolene was found around 5 p.m., with the plastic ties cutting off circulation. She was sedated, stabilized and transferred to a specialist, then given her new name. As reported by CBS Pittsburgh, the shelter is asking anyone who knows what happened to speak up and share tips.
ANNA Shelter Presses For Tips
The shelter’s Cruelty/Neglect Division says it handles animal welfare complaints in Erie and Crawford counties and works with law enforcement when cases rise to the level of criminal prosecution. Members of the public who see suspected abuse or neglect are asked to call or text the division’s emergency line at 814-572-5913, according to the ANNA Shelter.
Investigators say community members are often the missing piece in cases like Jolene’s. Even small details about when or where a dog was last seen can help connect the dots.
A Tough Year For Local Rescuers
Staff and volunteers say 2026 has already felt unusually heavy. In January, the shelter helped save a frostbitten Siberian husky named Aimee who had been abandoned in a crate in freezing temperatures and needed specialized care and close monitoring. That rescue was chronicled by PEOPLE, and locals have pointed to other brutal cases that have piled onto the team’s workload.
For workers on the cruelty unit, Jolene’s condition is another grim reminder that the calls do not really slow down, even in the dead of winter.
Investigation And How To Help
Pennsylvania State Police Troop E, which covers Erie, lists its headquarters on Iroquois Avenue and a non-emergency line of 814-898-1641. The shelter says it will be coordinating with law enforcement as the investigation into Jolene’s abuse continues. Anyone with information can contact the ANNA Shelter cruelty line at 814-572-5913 or Troop E at 814-898-1641.
For more on how to reach investigators, including address and phone details for state police, see Troop E.
