PETA adds $2,500 to reward in Vineland dog-dragging incident

BY KRISTI FUNDERBURK GANNETT NEW JERSEY • JUNE 25, 2009

The reward for information about the case of Reese, the dog dragged
behind a pickup truck earlier this month, just went up to $3,500 on
Wednesday.

PETA, or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, added $2,500
to the Cumberland County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals' reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction
in the case.

The SPCA already had offered $1,000, but Executive Director Bev Greco
is happy to have the extra help from PETA.

"If it helps anyone to come forward, we're very glad to have it," she said.

A Vineland resident called 9-1-1 at 10:05 p.m. June 13 to report a
green pickup truck with a matching cap on its bed was dragging the
dog as the vehicle traveled east on Elmer Road and turned left onto
East Avenue. Police were unable to locate the truck or the dog that night.

A resident of the 1400 block of South East Avenue found the injured
dog on his porch with a pink jump rope tied around its neck shortly
before 8 a.m. the next day, according to a police report. The chocolate-
colored mixed breed dog suffered road bruises on her right side,
injuries to her face, and the pads and nails on her front paws were
severely injured.

Reese is currently in veterinary care and authorities expect she will
recover. Greco said Reese is up and walking, but likely will remain in
the hospital for two weeks.

David Perle, senior communications coordinator for PETA, said the
animal rights organization wanted to help catch the person or people
involved with the incident.

"We definitely like to catch anybody involved in cases like this," Perle
said. "There's a link between cruelty to animals and violence to other
people. Obviously this is a terrible case, but there are other issues."

Greco said no arrests have been made yet from the June 13 incident.
She said the process is slow as they are gathering information. She
added they gladly would take any information the public may have
about the incident.

SPCA investigators are trying to make contact with Omar Davis, who
was in possession of the dog at the time of the incident, for further
questioning, but Greco said he has not recently returned calls or come
forward.

Greco said there are no other persons of interest at this time besides
Davis.

How To Help

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact
the Cumberland County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals at (856) 691-1500.

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