CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) -- A local animal rescue group is offering a $2500 reward to help police find out who abused, then dumped a puppy in a Charlotte park.
David Miller, of Charlotte, found a six month-old pit bull abandoned in Veteran's Park in Plaza Midwood Monday night.
Miller took her in and named her Lelu. He said he could tell she'd been abused.
"She looked like she was burned," he said. "That was the assumption we made at first but we did get the vet to confirm it was just horrible, horrible mange. One of the worst she'd ever seen."
The vet also told Miller someone had cut off the tips of her ears, a sign she was probably used in dog fighting.
Lelu's paws are also extremely swollen and she's malnourished with a skin infection so bad it left her hairless.
"They don't deserve it, they don't understand and just to toss one out to fend for itself like that is just cruel," said Miller. "It's inhumane."
Project Halo is the non-profit animal rescue offering the reward money. The group is putting up fliers in the area of Veterans' Park hoping to find out who abused and then dumped Lelu.
The puppy is expected to make a full recovery but Miller still doesn't understand how anyone can abuse animals.
"The absolute depths people will go to harm something that can defend itself like that," he said. "I'm appalled."
If you have any information regarding this case, call Animal Care and Control at 704-336-7600.
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