Dog Dragged Behind Truck in Riverside Is Recovering

Riverside - Authorities are searching for the driver of a pickup suspected of dragging a dog in a Riverside neighborhood while the animal was tied to a rope.

The white German shepherd survived Wednesday's incident and is recovering at the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter, according to Krista Stewart, an animal control officer for the Riverside County Department of Animal Control Services.

The paws were pretty bloody and there were a lot of sores," said Stewart, who said the driver could face animal cruelty charges.

Riverside police notified Stewart about 7 p.m. after a witness had called 911 to say they saw the dog being dragged behind the red pickup near the intersection of Claycroft and Peacock lanes along the city's western edge. It is not clear how long the dog had been dragged. The driver eventually got out of the truck, untied the dog and drove off.

"She was lying down and trying to clean her injuries," Stewart said. "She was not aggressive even though her feet were probably killing her."

The dog was taken to an emergency clinic, where all four injured paws were treated and wrapped with bandages. The animal, estimated to be 10 months old, will recover from its injuries.

Anyone with information about the incident can call the shelter at 951-358-7387 and refer to activity No. 11-036374.

If the owner of the dog is not determined, the dog will be put up for adoption and those interested can call the same number and refer to ID No. 913310.