Animal Control educates public following Brownsville animal cruelty case

Chance, an 8-year-old Labrador mix, was killed in broad daylight at the Four Corners area of Brownsville on Tuesday, June 4. His family found him in their front yard with a homemade weapon lodged inside his body.

"We're talking about a 4-inch knife, with a 2-inch handle with another 2 inches of PVC pipe inside of my dog," Chance's owner said.

Dr. Antonio L. Caldwell, Deputy Director of the Brownsville Animal Regulation and Care Center, said he's never seen an incident like this during his tenure.

"This particular case, I found extremely brutal," Caldwell said. The manner in which this poor pup was killed was really alarming."

Caldwell said he's noticed an increase in the number of animal cruelty cases across the Rio Grande Valley. He spoke with ValleyCentral about how the public can recognize less violent cases of animal cruelty.

"If you see an animal that is chained up with a short chain, if you see an animal that doesn't have adequate shade, if you see an animal that doesn't seem to have adequate water or food call us," Caldwell said.

Other cases of animal cruelty include dogs with matted fur, dogs who look thin and people or homes with excessive amounts of animals, according to Caldwell.

Caldwell said the Brownsville Police Department is leading the investigation into Chance's death.

Brownsville PD advises pet owners to keep a close watch on their dogs and make sure they are secure.

If you have any information regarding the ongoing investigation, you can reach out to Brownsville PD or call the Animal Control Center hotline at (956) 546-HELP.