Dog Hurt Near Casper May Have Been Hit by Trailer, Authorities Say
A dog, which was said to have been the victim of a cruel beating after photos of the dog's injuries were widely circulated on social media, may not have been attacked after all.
The Natrona County Sheriff's Office says investigators looking into the alleged abuse have spoken to a man who admitted to hitting a dog near the injured dog's home.
The investigation began Wednesday after the dog, which suffered extensive injuries, was taken to Colorado for treatment. The dog was last seen unharmed in its yard at about 1:15 p.m. that day.
On Friday, a man contacted investigators and said they had been towing a trailer before 2 p.m. Wednesday and hit a dog, roughly 20 yards from the injured dog's home.
The man said while driving, he heard what he thought was a dog's "yelp" and felt a bump to his trailer.
He stopped and looked around, but couldn't find any dog that had been hit, the sheriff's office says. So the man returned to his vehicle and continued on his way.
The man later learned about the reported animal cruelty in the area where he thought he'd hit a dog. He immediately called the Natrona County Sheriff's Office and made a statement.
Investigators measured and photographed the man's vehicle and trailer, and photos were shown to a treating veterinarian. The vet reportedly said the dog's injuries could be consistent with a dog being hit by a moving trailer.
It also turns out that, in the fence surrounding the dog's yard, there were spots where the dog could have gotten out and then back in.
Investigators also learned the injured dog was often out of its yard, which was reportedly verified by several independent sources, according to Monday's news release.
The sheriff's office says they have notified the dog's owners of investigators' findings.
The dog, Baby, is expected to recover. As of 5 p.m. Monday, a GoFundMe account set up to pay for Baby's medical treatment had raised $12,570. Since Wednesday, over 420 people have donated.