Husky, kitten found dead, muzzled in Calgary alley

A week after aSiberian husky was found dead with its muzzletaped shutin a Calgary alley, a kitten has been found dead with its mouth taped shut near the same location.

The dog was found last Thursday in an alley of thesoutheastcommunity of Willow Parkby a couple who lived nearby. ACalgary roads crew was called to take the body away.

There are so many places that they could take the dog if they didnt want it, why do that?" said June Wutzky, whose husband John found the dog.

"It's something you don't forget," said John Wutzky. "His mouth was taped shut and he's just a puppy. I'll bet you he wasn't twoyearsold."

John said he's seen the dog multiple times before in the park.

"It's just atrocious."

TheCalgary Humane Societyreleased information about the husky today, hoping members of thepublic wouldcome forward.

Dead kitten found nearby

A six-month-old cat was also found thisafternoonby a young girl, according to the humane society.

The short-haired,black and whitecat was found 10 metres away from where the dog was discovered.

"[She] went to investigate and did find a deceased cat in close proximityto where the dog was found last week," said the City of Calgary'sCarissa Vescio.

The cat hadgreen painter's tape over its mouth.The humane society'sBrad Nicholssaid it was not immediatelyclear if the cat was emaciated, but said the tape would have stopped the animal from being able to eat.

"The dog, a young female Siberian husky, was emaciated and had clear medical tape wrapped around its muzzle," said Nichols.

The humane society said both instances are clear casesof intentional animal cruelty that causedsignificant suffering.

"These cases of intentionalcruelty are fairly rare. And they are disturbing and it's frustrating to see that sort ofthinghappening," he said.

"Emaciated means there was no fat left on the animaland muscle wastage. So, you can see from the picture, but all the ribs would be visible, the spine and the abdominal tuck. Really, it looks like a starved dog."

Nichols saidacts such as thesewouldlikely lead to chargesunder the Animal Protection Act and the CriminalCode of Canada andcould meanmaximum punishments in the range of fiveyears imprisonment, a $20,000 fine and alifetime ban from caring for animals.

"The animal was either dumped or allowed to go stray, so we don't have any information as far as who this dog belonged to, which is why we reached out to the public."

$5K reward offered

Calgary veterinary clinic Vets to Go announced it wasoffering a $5,000 reward for anyone with informationthat would lead to "theidentification and conviction of the offender."

The humane society said a number of people wantedto add to the reward.

"I think it's pretty hard to be detached from this case, ... especially as a vet you know what that animal went through before it eventually passed," said Vets to Go's Wendy McClelland.

Heather Anderson of the Daisy Foundation, which fights animal cruelty, said abusers may start with animals but may end up hurtinghumans.

My dog was murdered when I was 11-years-old and the same person that murdered that dog went on 12 years later to murder a little boy.

Anyone who recognizes either animal or has any information is encouraged to contact the Calgary Humane Society protection and investigations department at 403-205-4455.

WARNING:Thephotos below may bedisturbing for some. Do not click through unless you want toview images of the animals.