UPDATED AT 2:37 p.m.: A dog in Lakeland Village was found dead Thursday, and the owner alleged that a neighbor killed it by sticking a hose down its throat.
"They murdered our dog," said Jane Ray, the family pet's owner. "It was hateful."
According to John Welsh, spokesman for the Riverside County Animal Services Department, a 911 call came into the sheriff’s department Thursday afternoon alleging that someone was trying to kill the dog in the 15000 block of Laguna Avenue.
The call was forwarded to animal services and when officers arrived they found Puddles -- a 3-year-old Pit Bull mix who was very pregnant -- dead.
The dog’s owner told an animal services officer that the next-door neighbor put a water hose down Puddles’ mouth and, shortly afterward, the dog and its puppies died, said Lesley Huennekens, a Riverside County Animal Services sergeant based out of the department’s San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus.
Ray alleged the water hose was running when the killing occurred.
"My son and daughter saw it happen," Ray said. "My son tried to get to the faucet while it was happening but he couldn't get past the electronic gate. Water was coming out of 'Pud's' mouth."
“The dog was wet and the water hose was on at some point or another,” Welsh said.
A necropsy is being performed to determine the actual cause of death.
Witnesses told animal services investigators that Puddles had been involved in “fence fighting” with the neighbor’s dog, Welsh said.
The two dogs were engaged in aggressive acts against each other through a small opening between the two properties, and that gap is where Puddles was found dead – her body lay on her property, but her head was on the neighbor’s side, Welsh explained.
According to Ray, the neighbor said, "'I'm going to take care of this once and for all.' My son and daughter heard him say that."
During the alleged attack on Puddles, the neighbor's German Shepherd also kept a hold on the animal's face, Ray said. "She couldn't go anywhere."
Dr. Allan Drusys, Riverside County’s chief veterinarian, said the “dog died under contentious circumstances.”
No arrests have been made in the case, but if the necropsy results determine Puddles died because of an inhumane act, the Department of Animal Services will file an arrest declaration seeking animal-cruelty charges with the Riverside County District Attorney’s office, Welsh said.
Ray said Puddles was a family pet and got along well with the other canines in the household.
"She bonded with my daughter's boyfriend and followed him everywhere," Ray added, but admitted that Puddles and the neighbor's German Shepherd often sparred through the fence separating the properties.
Welsh told Patch that animal services has never been called to either home, and Ray said that during the nearly two years of living at the location she has not had any altercations with the neighbor.
Neighbor disputes over dogs are common, Welsh said, noting that in many cases they can be avoided with proper fencing that deters canine fighting and barking.
For him to stand there doing that to that doggie and get pleasure from watching her die is one sick sob. He deserves more then the books will throw at him.
You can also build a half fence for more protection on either side(whoever cares that is), and also use the water bottle. There are also bark collars, which I do not believe in, only as the last resort. There are many ways to take care of the problem and if they are both outside dogs that would drive everyone crazy. It doesnt say if they were or not. But that going on 24/7 I am surprised no one called animal control prior.
I will agree with you that a dog barking or crying all day is annoying, but it's no reason to get in a war with your neighbors. A dog is like a baby with colic, they bark, and cry, and miss their mommy and daddy being around. You should be able to talk to your neighbors and assure them that you are working on the barking and it should be "somewhat" resolved after a bit. But dogs bark to talk, they always bark, they bark when their owner comes home, they bark playing ball, or running around in circles when they get out of the pool wet. I would suggest if you hate animals that bark, or that bad, you should live on a big lot so you are not as close to the other houses as most of us are. It might take a visit from Animal control also, as On the right side says it takes more then just buying a dog and feeding it, it takes a huge amount of time, attention, training and love. Animal control helps and gives resources to train your doggie with barking. But don't be oblivious, dogs will BARK, and animal control only cites if THEY hear it for over half hour straight. IF its found this man DID shoved the hose in this pregnant dogs throat, face, nose an Autopsy will tell, he should get out of town FAST.
We get all of our dogs at rescues and just like any they just want to please, learn and get snacks and love. As a last resort there is that dang bark collar and if it is necessary its only while they are out in the backyard to go potty. Most of the times if you are out there with them, after all who wants to go potty by themselves LOL, hanging out or playing they wont bark continuously.