Atlanta police are investigating reports that two dogs were found dead near Loghaven and Chalmers drives in Collier Heights. Atlanta Animal Care and Control told WSB-TV that police were handling the criminal investigation, while police said their report was not yet available and provided no additional details. An autopsy was being conducted on the first dog, according to WSB-TV.
What has been reported
WSB-TV reported that the first animal was a small puppy found in a cage on an empty lot and removed by animal control on a Sunday. Residents reported a second dead dog about two weeks later, on the Thursday before Labor Day. The animal was found in a blue bag and remained at the site for several days. Neighbor Susan Ridley told the station that the odor made her ill and that her son and his friends moved the animal.
No official cause of death has been announced. Neighborhood Watch captain Colleen Valentine told WSB-TV that residents had raised possibilities including dog fighting, animal sacrifice and starvation, but those theories remain unconfirmed. Freeda Hill told the station that she photographed a vehicle she believed had left after the first dog was dumped but was unable to obtain its license plate.
Evidence and city response
How authorities handle suspected cruelty
The Georgia Department of Agriculture says complaints of animal cruelty or neglect should be submitted to local law enforcement; its companion-animal program is limited primarily to licensed facilities. The state guidance cited here does not identify a specific statute governing the abandonment, disposal or concealment of animal remains, so the available information does not establish which legal provision may apply in this case. A separate Georgia matter reported by WABE on Aug. 31, 2026, involved rescued animals being held during lengthy criminal proceedings. That case was distinct from the Collier Heights investigation and does not establish a cause of death, suspect or legal outcome here.
Residents told WSB-TV that a surveillance camera had been moved during construction associated with the I-285 interchange project, and Valentine said neighbors were seeking its return through city officials. The city later installed a no-dumping sign at the location. WSB-TV previously reported that Atlanta Public Works had used portable cameras at dumping hot spots across the city's roughly 1,300 miles of roadways.
The investigation remains open, with the autopsy and police report pending. The reported accounts do not establish how the dogs died, who left them at the site or whether the moved camera recorded either incident.
