Athens, Ala. – In Defense of Animals (IDA), the international animal protection organization that operates Hope Animal Sanctuary in Mississippi, has offered a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whomever tethered a friendly pit bull with a twenty pound chain, leaving her to suffer while the chain slowly embedded into her neck.

On the evening of February 18, someone found the unnamed female pit bull dragging a twenty pound chain that was deeply embedded into her neck. The kind person took her to Town and Country Animal Hospital in Athens, where Dr. John Hammons examined and treated her. “Due to the wounds on the neck, head, face and front legs, she appears to be an intact female, so she was probably used as a bait type dog for enticing others to fight,” Dr. Hammons told local media.

IDA urges anyone with information about this brutal incident to contact the Limestone County Sheriff’s Department at 256-232-0111.