ST. CROIX — The Virgin Islands Police Department’s C Command Unit on January 3 at around 6:30 p.m. was dispatched to a possible cruelty to animal case in the area of Estate Tipperary, where a complainant reported to 911 that someone killed her dog, V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Glen Dratte announced on Tuesday.
Upon arrival, the officers made contact with the complainant, who stated that she discovered her dog lying in the back yard of her residence gasping for air and by the time she went inside the dwelling to contact her mother, the dog was dead.
At the time it was believed that the dog was poisoned, but officers discovered a small puncture wound on the dog’s side, according to Mr. Dratte.
The dog was transported to the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center where a necropsy was arranged and conducted the following day. Animal Shelter technicians took X-ray photos of the dog, which showed two small metal objects lodged inside its body.
It was also discovered that one of the projectiles penetrated a major blood artery called the “Vena Cava”, which caused severe internal bleeding and the cause of death, Mr. Dratte said.
This case is classified as first-degree animal abuse, which states that any person who maliciously or unnecessarily kills, tortures, maims, mutilates, disfigures, wounds, administers any poison, or inflicts unjustifiable pain on any animal just to name a few, if found guilty, could be charged with a felony not exceeding 3 years in prison and fined not less than $1,000.00.
The VIPD Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit is asking anyone in the Estate Tipperary area or anyone that has information regarding this case to call 911, or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers USVI here.
Tags: animal cruelty, Estate Tipperary, st croix
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