Wednesday June 24, 2009, 1:55 pm
Care2 member Vickie McCauley found her, this is just horrific. I hope I never witness such cruelty, it is bad enough reading about many cruelties. Thank you Vickie who took it on herself to investigate and try to get some justice for this poor dog.

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 2:03 pm
How awful... :( How come the police aren't investigating this and haven't taken the dogs body to have a necropsy done.??.. pretty sick... potentially a serial killer in the making, not to mention this is unlikely the first animal they have done this to, or will be the last... just awful... :( disgusting!!!

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The dog’s throat was cut, her paws were bound with rope, and her face had been set on fire. She was dead, lay wrapped in plastic and dumped unceremoniously next to a trash receptacle when Vickie McCauley stumbled upon her.

"This is torture worse than I've ever seen in my life," said McCauley. "And, I want whoever did this to know this is wrong! You can't go around doing things like this to animals."

McCauley called 311 as soon as she and her colleagues discovered the dog near the Dumpster at her work. But, she said that when the City came to investigate, they didn't even open the bag before determining the dog's owner had dumped it there once the dog died because they had nowhere else to put it.

That is when McCauley decided to do a little digging herself.

"I wasn't going to leave it," she said. "Whatever it was, I wasn't going to leave it until I investigated."

McCauley returned to the scene Monday night and unwrapped the bags. "It took me a few tries to get all of that off of her," she said, pointing to the heavy plastic bags and blanket that had been wrapped around the Pit Bull. "And, then I positioned her to where you can tell she had been spliced, because blood went everywhere."

The sight made McCauley vomit.

"If I think about what they did to her and she was alive," she said. "It makes me cry because it makes me so sad."

The Austin Police Department's Animal Cruelty unit hasn't yet determined this case as animal abuse. However, they have seen McCauley's pictures and have received a few tips from the plea for help McCauley posted on Craig's List.

While this case may never be solved, Dorinda Pulliam with the Town Lake Animal Center said McCauley made the right moves.

"If you even suspect animal neglect or abuse, we want you to report it," said Pulliam. "That is the only way we can stop this from happening."

Pulliam said the first step is to call 311.

According the the Austin Police Department, there have been 122 cases of reported animal cruelty in Austin since Jan. 1, 2008. Just in 2009, there have been 23 cases so far.

TLAC has classes on how to detect and report animal abuse, counting on citizens to help stop it before goes any further.

"We want people to treat it like any other crime," said Pulliam.

As of Tuesday, the dog was still in the Dumpster.

"I was told Sanitation wouldn't come get her until Wednesday morning," said McCauley. "What a horrible way for any living being to die."

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 2:06 pm
Vickie said she tried to get them interested but when they didnt, she decided to pursue it further herself.

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 2:08 pm
I suppose Jamie, they will wait until these evil scums hurt people, maybe they will investigate then. And like you said, how many more animals have they tortured.

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 2:24 pm
Good, brave Vickie! how awful thisis and the authorities treat it like nothing? Come on...

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 4:27 pm
This is horrific and I hope I don't experience anything like but I did experience a cruelty case where a German Shepard was beaten really bad, the whole neighbourhood could hear her screams. Called the police, they didn't want to do anything about it and then got on the the RSPCA and the case went on for months with an outcome from the RSPCA was that the dog was a happy dog, yet I could hear her being hurt almost on a daily basis. The dog was kept in a pen with no contact at all and was abused almost on a daily basis. Nothing ever came of it. Finally the dog disappeared. Nobody else in the neighbourhood wanted to get involved because they were afraid of the owner, who I actually confronted on the night of the beating and yes, he verbally abused me and was an aggressive person. By the way the RSPCA had removed a dog from that same address a couple of years earlier when I wasn't living there.

With the experiences I have had I feel the RSPCA will not do anything unless the animal is half dead or dead.

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 5:56 pm
What a piece of trash to do this. I am disgusted no one will help. Scumbags. May the b###### who did this horrific act rot in hell. Big thanks to Vickie for all she is doing.Noted with anger. Thanks Simone. Please keep us updated.

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 7:16 pm
Vicki, I'm so very proud of what you did. I know what you did wasn't easy, but you followed your heart. I also know Mercy was watching over you and she to is proud of you.. She will now take care of this precious one...

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 8:52 pm
This is so horrific. How could someone do this?! Curses on them!!! OMG I am speechless. Blessings to you Vicki, and many thanks for caring about this poor dog who must of suffered in agony so much. Crying for her little soul, may she now be happy at the Rainbow Bridge.
Thank you Simone.

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 9:29 pm
Heartbreaking..disgusting..sad..and senseless..
Good for Vicki..
I can't believe they haven't removed the dog..
Thanks Simone..
Sadly noted..

Thursday June 25, 2009, 4:56 am
Thanks to Vicki and everyone for caring. Lets keep pushing for tougher laws and an Animal Bill of Rights Amendment.

Thursday June 25, 2009, 5:07 am
Vickie, I admire you.

Thursday June 25, 2009, 5:11 pm
CANNOT BELIEVE THIS! WHAT THIS PEOPLE HAVE IN THEIR HEADS?????
THEY ARE IN DRUGS!!!A NORMAL PERSON DON´T DO THIS!!WHAT THEY THINK WHEN PERPETRATE A CRUEL ACT LIKE THIS! tHIS IS TOO MUCH!!

Thursday July 2, 2009, 8:35 pm
Thank you to everyone from "Sweetie" the dog I found at the dumpster. I will be holding a vigil for her Friday night. She is FREE.