A rescue dog that was stolen from a facility in Camarillo has died after being found abused and injured on the side of the 101 freeway.
Paw Works, a Ventura County animal shelter, said the dog named Pretty Girl was taken during an early morning burglary at its Camarillo facility. It was not long in being found, but in very bad condition.
According to Brittany Vizcarra, director of operations for Paw Works, Pretty Girl was found on the side of Highway 101 along Conejo Grade with life-threatening injuries, possibly after being hit by a car. It is believed the dog was suffering from heavy bleeding in her abdomen, as well as bruising and swelling around her rectum. Pretty Girl eventually died from her injuries.
“We have to find the person who did this, because it’s not OK. She didn’t deserve this, she’s a good dog,” Vizcara said in a tearful video she recorded while Pretty Girl was taken to a veterinarian.
Paw Works released surveillance video of the break-in, which showed a person in a hoodie and shorts walking around the ring of dog crates with bright light, possibly an app. flashlight activated on a mobile phone. The person stopped at a cage and tried to drag the dog out, but when he refused the intruder went to another cage in the corner and apparently put a rope around the dog and pulled him out from the cage.
In the video, the dog now known as Pretty Girl appeared to be struggling against the rope and the person was forced to drag her as the other dogs in the establishment barked wildly.
“We believe she was fighting for her life,” Vizcara said. “He’s not a dog that takes strangers easily. He’s a very loyal dog, and if you saw him in this video, she was fighting him and he was hitting her.”
Paw Works offers a reward for information about the intruder. Anyone with information about the break-in can call Paw Works at (805) 799-3937.
