The McKamey Animal Center is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for neglecting and abandoning a wounded dog found wandering Monday on 6th Avenue in Chattanooga.
The dog, a male McKamey staff members are calling Starbuck, had a blue harness and a leash attached to him and was "extremely thin and weak," according to a news release.
"Animal cruelty is a criminal offense in Tennessee and we take these cases very seriously," said Jamie McAloon, executive director of the center. "Someone knows who owned this dog and we intend to locate them for questioning."
Starbuck's untreated wounds were infected and required immediate surgery, McKamey officials said.
The dog is expected to take some time to recover, in part because he was deprived of food for a lengthy period, the release states.
Cruelty to animals is misdemeanor, and a second or subsequent conviction is a felony.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to call the McKamey Animal Center at 423-305-6500, the tip line at 423-305-6508 or email jmcaloon@mckameyanimalcenter.org.