Husky, kitten found dead, muzzled in Calgary alley

A week after a Siberian husky was found dead with its muzzle taped shut in 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 the southeast community of Willow Park by a couple who lived nearby. A Calgary roads crew was called to take the body away. 

“There are so many places that they could take the dog if they didn’t 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 two years old."

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

"It's just atrocious."

The Calgary Humane Society released information about the husky today, hoping members of the public would come forward.

Dead kitten found nearby 

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

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

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

The cat had green painter's tape over its mouth. The humane society's Brad Nichols said it was not immediately clear 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 cases of intentional animal cruelty that caused significant suffering.

"These cases of intentional cruelty are fairly rare. And they are disturbing and it's frustrating to see that sort of thing happening," he said. 

"Emaciated means there was no fat left on the animal and 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 said acts such as these would likely lead to charges under the Animal Protection Act and the Criminal Code of Canada and could mean maximum punishments in the range of five years imprisonment, a $20,000 fine and a lifetime 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 was offering a $5,000 reward for anyone with information that would lead to "the identification and conviction of the offender."

The humane society said a number of people wanted to 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 hurting humans.

“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: The photos below may be disturbing for some. Do not click through unless you want to view images of the animals.