A $1,000 reward is being offered for information about four abused dogs found dead in west of the Tri-Cities region in recent weeks.
The animals were dumped in the Lower Yakima Valley starting in early March, said Yakima County's Animal Control Officer Cindy Kanzler.
Two dogs were found dead on the outskirts of Grandview, one next to an orchard and another near a vineyard.
Another was discovered on the bank of a canal outside Sunnyside, and one was seen being dragged by a vehicle outside Outlook.
Some of them had their legs bound by twine, one had a plastic bag over its head, and they were all emaciated.
Pasado's Safe Haven, a nonprofit that helps to investigate animal cruelty cases, and the Yakima County Sheriff's Office have put out a the public call for information on the deaths.
"We're hoping that the reward will help bring someone forward," Kanzler told the Tri-City Herald. "We're hoping that having this story out there will make the community aware of what is going on."
A $1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest.
To submit a tip, call 800-222-8477 or go online to www.crimestoppersyakco.org or download the P3 Tips app onto your cellphone. The case number is 23CO3867.
It's possible that these are not the only animals killed this way.
Pasado's investigator told the Herald that she has heard reports of other animals killed, but hasn't yet confirmed the incidents.
Kanzler suspects people may see the animal and just assume that they were hit by a car.
The animals do not appear to have been used for illegal dog fighting, Kanzler said. The bodies are being sent for a necropsy to determine how they died.
Kanzler said any information from the public is useful and potentially could help with another persistent problem in Yakima — live dogs that are abandoned by owners in rural areas instead of taken to animal shelters.
"We as (animal control officers) need the community's help," she said. "We can't be everywhere at once. ... Any information helps us, even if it doesn't go anywhere."
