(Photo by Terry Clark) A tortured dog was found on the side of the road yesterday in Dunbarton, its muzzle strapped shut by three plastic locking utility ties.  He was in a skeletal condition and his breathing severely distressed as he was grasping for air and couldn’t breathe. It appears he was just abandoned and left for dead.

Wire cutters had to be used to cut the plastic locking ties off his muzzle. Even after the removal of the ties he wouldn’t eat or drink.

 (Photo by Terry Clark) The spotted the brindled boxer lying off the side of Blackbrook Road, just off Route 13.

The women eventually got the dog to the Manchester Animal Shelter, where a veterinarian happened to be on duty. He examined the dog and determined that, in addition to malnutrition, the dog was suffering with pneumonia.

 (Photo by Terry Clark) The Boxer has been placed through the shelter with a foster family.

Police checked the town’s dog license database, but found no matches for a brindled boxer.

Police are asking someone to come forward and provide information; it’s hard to follow-up on a case like this. Authorities said, It’s hard to tell if this dog is just a dog someone didn’t want and abandoned, in a very cruel way, or maybe it’s a dog that didn’t belong to the person who tied it up, but who did the straps for other reasons, more malicious reasons.

Anyone who may have information about this dog is urged to call Dunbarton Police.

(Photo by Terry Clark)

Update March 24, 2004:  The boxer dog, known as Fraser, was found along Black Brook Road on March 3. Plastic wire ties bound the snout and genitals. The brindle brown boxer was suffering from pneumonia, dehydration and malnutrition when it was discovered not far from Route 13. It was unable to eat or drink.

“We received information from a source that was familiar with Cere who indicated that they believed her boxer was the one that was seen on the news,” said Dunbarton police chief Jeff Nelson. He said Cere had no obvious connection to the town where the dog was found. Cere turned herself in at the Dunbarton Police Department and was cooperative with investigators, according to Nelson.

Cere was released on a combination of $300 cash and $5,000 personal recognizance bail. She was charged with a Class B felony and a Class A misdemeanor of cruelty to animals. Beating or torturing an animal is a felony on the first offense, punishable by up to seven years in prison and up to $4,000 in fines. An arraignment is set for April 20 in Concord District Court.

Fraser was taken to the Manchester Animal Shelter for treatment after it was found. The dog had a skeletal appearance and had trouble breathing. This week the dog was taken to Second Chance Boxer Rescue (http://www.secondchanceboxer.com) in Maine, where he will continue to recover and be matched with a foster home.

A reward fund set up to seek information about the abuse has grown to more than $12,000.  Harold Beaulieu of Manchester committed $5,000 to the fund. “I am delighted to death,” Beaulieu said after learning about the arrest. He said he spends a lot of time and money to help abandoned animals and get stray cats off the streets.

The Concord-Merrimack County SPCA handles the reward fund. The Humane Society added $2,500 to the fund. “This crime is truly horrific,” said Joanne Bourbeau, director of the HSUS New England Regional Office. “Anyone who could do this to a defenseless animal is a real danger not only to other animals, but potentially to the human members of the community as well.”

According to the Second Chance Boxer Web site, Fraser is “settling in nicely,” and is still being treated for pneumonia. The dog was still coughing at last report, but has regained some weight. He is a 50-pound 2-year-old, purebred boxer, brindle and brown in color with white paws and a white chest.

Nelson said the investigation into Cere was in the early stages and he declined to comment on her background.

Update May 13, 2004:  Cere waived her right to a probable cause hearing at District Court so the case has been bound over to Superior Court, docket number 04s-543. The Merrimack County Attorney John Weld, now has to decide if this case will proceed.

References:

The Union Leader

The Concord Monitor

WMUR Channel 9 News

Foster’s Daily Democrat

SCBoxer Rescue