Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Number Of Dogs Found With Chemical Burns Up To 9 [Graphic]
The total number of dogs found with horrific chemical burns is now up to nine, and authorities still haven't caught whoever is doing it.
A 3-year old Chihuahua mix named Taco was found on Thursday night in the Antelope Valley with burns on his back that were giving him "excruciating pain." The burns were deep enough that his flesh was fully exposed. "The amount of scarring to the skin, it's substantial," veterinarian Tamara Leary told KTLA. "It's literally falling off."
Luckily for Taco he will probably not be euthanized, though he currently takes pain medication and antibiotics to help him cope with his burns.
Taco is the ninth dog in the Antelope Valley and Kern County to have been found suffering from burns, dating back to August. The first was a golden retriever named Fergus and the other victims were six pit bulls and a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Sadly, two of those dogs had to be euthanized. The rest are still being treated and Fergus is staying with a foster family.
On Friday, Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue announced that the reward money offered to find the attacker or attackers of the dog was increased to $50,000. Half of the reward is being offered by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, and the remainder includes contributions from PETA and the Golden Retriever Rescue.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
