Reward offered for information on dog drowning in Cedar River

King County Animal Care and Control investigating

King County Animal Care and Control is seeking information for its investigation into the intentional drowning death of a dog in the Cedar River on July 4. The agency responded to a citizen report of a lifeless body of a Pit Bull in the river near the Landsburg Bridge in the 25200 block of Landsburg Rd SE in Ravensdale, WA.

An Animal Control Officer arriving at the scene within the hour of the call found the dog anchored down in the deep, fast moving water. The Animal Control Sergeant on duty asked the Sheriff’s Department to send their dive team to recover the body, but they reported they would not be able to respond until later in the evening due to the high number of priority service calls related to the Fourth of July holiday.

Instead, later that afternoon, a fisherman pulled the dog’s body from the river and turned it over to King County Animal Care and Control (KCACC). Investigating officers discovered it was a black and white female Pit Bull with a homemade anchor tied around its neck with a rope.

The Kent shelter veterinarian on duty performed a necropsy on July 5th which found that the animal may have been alive before being submersed in the river. The dog did not have any signs of penetrating or exit wounds or any injuries typically associated with dog fighting.

"This is a horrific and tragic case," said King County Animal Care and Control Communications Specialist Nancy McKenney. "We need more information from the community to help find those responsible for this needless death."

Anyone with information is asked to contact King County Animal Care and Control at 206-296-3958. In addition, The Humane Society of the United States has issued a $2,500 reward for anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. Intentionally killing an animal is a Class C Felony under the State of Washington.

King County Animal Care and Control’s service area includes unincorporated King County and 36 contracting cities. The agency accepts all animals and has been promoting responsible pet ownership and providing animal related services to both people and animals for over 36 years.