Authorities in Cullman County are investigating a shocking case of animal cruelty. Police said a Vinemont family’s beagle was skinned alive and had to be euthanized, but a second beagle escaped with minor lacerations.

        (Photo's courtesy of WAAF 48 News)

Neal Rodgers said he had let the family’s two beagles run loose in a rural part of Vinemont located on Cullman County Road 1428. He said he first thought his 3-year-old dog named Anne had been hit by a car, but after a closer look it was clear someone skinned his dog alive.

Now several private citizens and animal groups have donated or pledged over $35,000 in reward money.

Update 12/18/07:  A state examination cast doubt on claims that someone intentionally harmed a beagle that was found skinned alive, but the dog's owner and veterinarian said they have a hard time believing the findings.

A veterinary pathology report determined that a piece of machinery, not a knife wielded by a human, probably was the cause of a dog named Anne being skinned alive in Cullman County.  The dog's skin was removed from the nape of its neck to its hips.

But the study by George D'Andreas, an animal pathologist at Auburn University, means the incident was likely accidental and not a case of cruelty, said Sheriff Tyler Roden.

"Dr. D'Andreas was quite clear that there is an extraordinarily low probability that this was done by a malicious act of another person," Roden said. Although personally skeptical, the sheriff said his office was scaling back its investigation of the incident.

Dr. Bruce Lee, a veterinarian who saw the dog before it was euthanized, said he had a hard time accepting the findings.  "I felt then there was a suspicion of foul play and I always will," Lee said. "I know of no other possible way that this could have happened without the dog having other injuries."

Janet Rodgers of Vinemont, who owned Anne, also disagreed with the report.  "I think it is absolutely a mistake," she said. "There is just no way anyone can make me believe it was done with a machine."

Roden said D'Andreas found no evidence of knife wounds on the animal and there were no internal injuries on the animal.  "He stated in the report that the injuries that occurred to the dog are consistent with a degloving injury, which means basically the skin was pulled from the animal rather than cut off the animal," Roden said.

In November, Neal Rodgers told The Cullman Times he found the 3-year-old dog with much of its skin missing. Another beagle belonging to the Rodgers family, Buttercup, was discovered the same day with minor lacerations around the neck and shoulder.

The Rodgers took their dogs to Lee's veterinary clinic, where Anne was euthanized.

Update 12/30/07:  Janet Rogers says the crime against 3-year-old Anne has changed her family forever.  "I'm 56 years old and have lived there all my life. Our children have just done whatever they've wanted to. Our grandchildren come up the same way. And it's just really changed our lifestyle. Because we're not able to let them go out and romp like they normally do," says Rogers.  They now fear that someone who could do this to a dog might harm a human.

The push is on to find the person with almost surgical skills who skinned the dog who had just weaned her puppies.  Finding the culprit will no doubt sooth the fears of those who live in what was considered a safe haven.  "It was very traumatic. It was just very shocking we hadn't seen nothing like it in our lives," says Rogers.  "I think there is someone out there that does know who is responsible for this crime and we want that person to come out and tell us," says Roden.

If you have any information about this case, please call the Cullman County Sheriff's Department at 256-734-0342 or the secret witness line at 256-734-0210.

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