On a quiet Sunday night in Murfreesboro, a dog was dragged roughly 600 yards along a Rutherford County road, and now deputies are trying to track down the pickup responsible.
Witnesses told investigators the truck pulled the dog behind it between about 9:30 and 10 p.m. on May 5 along Burleson Lane near Justice Drive. At some point, the chain or tether snapped, sending the badly injured animal into a ditch. The dog was rushed to a local animal clinic for treatment, according to WKRN.
Authorities released photos from the scene and stressed that they are treating the case as an active investigation. Detectives say they are especially interested in any footage that might show the truck before, during, or after the incident.
What deputies are asking
The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office is calling on anyone who lives or drives in the Burleson Lane and Justice Drive area to check their cameras around the time of the incident.
Residents and drivers are asked to email [email protected] or call 615-904-3054 with any dashcam, doorbell, or surveillance video that could help identify the truck or its driver. Detective Andrew Quintal is handling tips and will review any footage that comes in.
The dog's condition and next steps
Detective Quintal told WKRN that the rope or chain appeared to have broken, freeing the dog into the ditch, where it was later found and transported for veterinary care. No arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Under Tennessee law, cruelty to animals is defined in Tenn. Code § 39-14-202. A first conviction is a Class A misdemeanor, while a second or later conviction can be charged as a Class E felony, and courts may order the surrender of animals involved in an offense, according to Tenn. Code § 39‑14‑202.
Deputies are urging anyone who thinks they captured the pickup on camera to preserve the original, unedited video and avoid overwriting or compressing the files. Even a brief clip or a single clear still frame, they say, could be the key to identifying the truck and whoever was behind the wheel.
