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Animal Cruelty In The U.S. By The Numbers
By Alice Gibbs
Senior Life and Trends ReporterFOLLOW
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An animal rescue is offering a reward for any information following the rescue of a who suffered heartbreaking cruelty.
On October 10, a dog, named “Cowgirl” by the Humane Society of Yuma (HSOY) staff, was discovered in a canal in Yuma, Arizona, with her legs tightly bound and covered in mud.
“Concerned citizens found her in an empty canal with mud. Her front legs were bound together with what seemed to be electrical tape and her hind legs were bound together with rope. Animal Control was notified and on the scene right away to help rescue her,” Lauren Weinberg from the Humane Society of Yuma told Newsweek.
Fearful, hungry and scared, Cowgirl was covered head to toe in mud. “The bindings were so tight they were constricting her blood flow so her paws were swollen. She had trouble walking and seemed to be very weak,” Weinberg said. Our medical staff immediately evaluated her and tended to her needs.”
HSOY is now offering a $2,200 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this act of cruelty.
Yuma County Sheriff’s Office told Newsweek: “There was an animal cruelty report in regards to this incident. At this time, there is not much information to share. There are no suspects in custody. Any information from the public is encouraged.”
In a post on its Facebook page, HSOY urged the community to come forward with any information about Cowgirl’s abuse. The group said: “Despite everything she has been through, Cowgirl has a very sweet nature and has shown incredible resilience.”
Cowgirl’s story sparked an outpouring of support on social media. Facebook user Alissa L. Peña Pacheco commented: “That’s so insanely cruel… If I could, I would come get her right now!” Another commenter, Victoria Crookshank, said: “Reading about her makes my heart cry. Thank goodness she is in good care.”
Thanks to the support of the Yuma Humane Society, Cowgirl is now doing much better—and has found a new loving home.
“During her stay at the shelter, she spent some time in our administration office, where it was calmer and quieter than the kennels,” Weinberg said. “She is still a little timid at first with new people but once she gets to know you she’ll cover you with kisses. We have since spayed her and she has already been adopted into a loving home.”