A $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the person who tied up a pit bull in a park in Richmond, Virginia and then set the helpless dog on fire.
Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC) said the male brindle pit bull with a camo collar was tied to a pole in Abner Clay Park on West Clay Street, covered in accelerant and intentionally set on fire on Suinday night.
Witnesses saw an adult male suspect wearing multiple layers of pants run from the scene.
The pit bull, who RACC named Tommie, was being treated for burns to over 40 percent of his body at Virginia Veterinary Centers when he passed away on Friday morning.
RACC announced Tommie’s passing in a heartbreaking post on Facebook.
“I’m so very sorry to share that Tommie just passed away. He had just finished having his bandages changed and stopped breathing; his body simply gave out. Tommie was pain free and surrounded by people that loved him when he passed. Needless to say, we are all devastated and angry and sad and terribly disappointed. I want to say thank you to everyone at Virginia Veterinary Centersand the VCU Evans-Haynes Burn Center for loving Tommie and fighting so hard to save him. We remain steadfast in our dedication to find the person now responsible for Tommie’s death. The REWARD for information leading to the successful arrest and conviction of the person/s has risen to $25,000. This increase is a result of your individual donations and is joined by pledges from our partners and friends at The Humane Society of the United States, the Cathy Kangas Foundation for Animals and the Humane Rescue Alliance. I’m so very sorry that we couldn’t save Tommie but I’m confident that we did everything we possibly could and that he felt true love and compassion for the time that he was in our care. We remain #teamtommie ❤️I’m so very sorry to share that Tommie just passed away. He had just finished having his bandages changed and stopped breathing; his body simply gave out. Tommie was pain free and surrounded by people that loved him when he passed. Needless to say, we are all devastated and angry and sad and terribly disappointed. I want to say thank you to everyone at Virginia Veterinary Centersand the VCU Evans-Haynes Burn Center for loving Tommie and fighting so hard to save him. We remain steadfast in our dedication to find the person now responsible for Tommie’s death. The REWARD for information leading to the successful arrest and conviction of the person/s has risen to $25,000. This increase is a result of your individual donations and is joined by pledges from our partners and friends at The Humane Society of the United States, the Cathy Kangas Foundation for Animals and the Humane Rescue Alliance. I’m so very sorry that we couldn’t save Tommie but I’m confident that we did everything we possibly could and that he felt true love and compassion for the time that he was in our care. We remain #teamtommie ❤”
