A reward of up to $2,500 is offered for information about a horrible case of animal abuse in pike county.

A dog, that's now being called "Miracle," was burned with hot grease a few weeks ago.

The dog was found in the Broad bottom neighborhood just outside Pikeville. The person who found Miracle took him to the humane society, and now he's in Louisville getting further treatment.

We chose not to show some of the most graphic images, but some of the photos in the story may still be disturbing to some viewers.

This small, mixed-breed male dog was found howling, suffering from burns.

Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Claude Stamper says, "We'd had a dog that had been scalded with bacon grease. And of course, neighbors were concerned."

Stamper says one neighbor who found Miracle rushed to get help. Humane Society officials say the burns are not the dog's only injuries.

(Photo's courtesy of United Rescues of Kentucky)

Pam Rogers, the Kentucky Director of The Humane Society of the United States, says, "Somebody had been very abusive to the animal. He had apparently a broken jaw, a gouged out eye, his tail had been cut off."

The cruelty shocked neighbors, but Stamper says unfortunately he has learned to expect cases like this one.  "It's alarming that something like this would happen, but it is not a surprise. If you have neighborhoods that do watch what goes on, they see a lot of things," he says.

The Humane Society of the United States is doing what they can to find who's responsible.  "We're trying to facilitate that by offering the reward and working with law enforcement to make that happen," Rogers says.

Neighborhood officials also hope to see justice served.  "I would like to see the person caught, and reprimanded," Stamper says.

Officials say this level of crime against an animal is a felony in Kentucky.   If you have any information in this case, you are asked to call the Pike County Sheriff's Department at 606-432-6260.

Update 12/10/09:  The photo collage below is of "Miracle" in his foster home recovering from his injuries. 

(Photo courtesy of United Rescues of Kentucky)

Update 12/16/09:  Some are saying it is not something to be proud of.  Kentucky is now named the best state in the country to be an animal abuser.

A report by the animal defense league fund points out weaknesses in animal protection laws in all fifty states.

The group claims animal abusers in Kentucky get off easy because there are no restrictions in the future ownership of animals for those convicted of animal cruelty and inadequate animal fighting provisions.

Hawaii, Idaho, Mississippi and North Dakota round out the list.

Update 12/31/09:  A Pike County family says they are the owners of the dog who was badly burned by bacon grease and other injuries.

Jeremy and Amanda Gibson say the dog was missing for almost a month.  The Gibson's were startled when they saw their dog "Tiger" with such horrible injuries all over his body.

The family says the dog got loose under a fence last month and hadn't seen it since.

Jeremy Gibson says the pictures of the dog named "Miracle", who was scalded with bacon grease and other injuries, was his and does not know how this could happen.  “I was in shock,” Jeremy Gibson says. “I couldn't believe something like that would go on in this neighborhood. We've had him for a little more than a year and we've been looking for him for quite some time.”

The Gibson’s say they had not seen the dog they call "Tiger" since the middle of November. They think that's when he crawled under this fence behind me and got away.  “We'd let him out in the yard where it was fenced in to play,” said Amanda Gibson. “I don't know if anybody had got him. We didn't know if anyone picked him up or taken him off or somebody had let him out or what.”

The Pike County Humane Society helped the dog with its wounds.  “Miracle is doing better,” David Stratton says. “The coat is growing back and the dog is happier and content he's getting the attention that he needs he's through the worst of it. He's got a long way to go.”

Jeremy Gibson says no animal deserves to be hurt in any way.  “He was a very good dog was not harmful to anyone or anything,” Jeremy Gibson says.

The dog is in a foster home in Louisville recovering. Stratton says he will be put up for adoption when he fully recovers.

Pike County Humane laws state that any dog that is brought to the animal shelter for more than five days becomes the property of the county.

It is unlikely that "Miracle" will be back in Eastern Kentucky. Police are still looking for the person responsible.

Update 1/14/10:  Miracle now known as "Patton" is recovering nicely.  His tail is healing from being partially cut off.  His jaw was found to be broken in two places and healed badly on its own.  New skin is forming with hair in and around the burned areas.  He if far from out of the woods - he has to be carefully not to get an infection which is very common with burns.

(Photo courtesy of United Rescues of Kentucky)  The white around the burn is new skin forming.  Patton loves to roll on the ground or scratch on tree branches like a horse - the burns are itchy and this is his way of coping.

Donations can be made to "Patton's care" at URKY - 1708 Houndstooth Glen, Lexington, KY 40515 or go online to their website at http://www.urky.org.

There are still no leads on who abused Patton.  If you have any information in this case, call the Pike County Sheriff's Department at PO Box 839, Pikeville, Kentucky 41502 or call 606-432-6260.

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