Animal activists have pooled together to increase the reward being offered for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible for abandoning a dog in a remote area of Malibu with its mouth zip-tied shut.
The reward, previously offered at $2,500 by the animal rescue organization In Defense of Animals, has more than tripled, now standing at $7,600.
“We are pleased to share that kind members of the public and our friends at Peace 4 Animals have added to the reward offer,” In Defense of Animals wrote in an update issued Tuesday.
The initial $2,500 reward is for information leading to an arrest and the additional $5,100 is for the successful conviction of those responsible for leaving the dog, officials said.
The German shepherd, estimated to be about 7 years old, has also been given a name, now known to those treating him as Argon.
But Tuesday’s update also came with a sad revelation.
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control, two separate veterinarians have examined Argon and suspect that the dog may be suffering from lymphoma — cancer of the lymphatic system.
Tests are underway now and results won’t be available for about a week, officials said. At that time, the next course of action will be determined, which could include making him available for adoption or developing a plan to treat his cancer.
The prognosis for a dog diagnosed with lymphoma varies greatly based on the type and severity of the disease.
Argon was discovered last Wednesday by a pair of hikers in a remote area of Malibu Creek Canyon. He was found in the scorching heat with a zip tie around his muzzle and another around its neck, one of the hikers told KTLA.
They were able to remove the zip tie from his mouth and give him some food, and the pair remained by his side until first responders arrived to help carry the dog some 250 feet to safety.
In addition to the zip ties around his neck and snout, it was observed that the dog also had inflammation, warts and skin tags on its legs, stomach and groin.
Argon was impounded and taken to Palmdale Animal Care Center for treatment. He’s since been returned to the County’s Agoura Animal Center.
Officials for DACC said they are pulling for Argon, who they say is a “sweet and gentle dog despite the ordeal he has gone through.”
“The circumstances in which this dog was found are horrific, and an affront to human decency and our role as responsible stewards to our pets,” said DACC Director Marcia Mayeda in a release issued by In Defense of Animals. “DACC thanks the good Samaritans who found this poor creature, and wants to ensure the public that he is getting all the care he needs as we investigate how this crime occurred.”
Katie Cleary, actress and founder of Peace 4 Animals called the treatment of the dog “reprehensible” and promised that “justice will prevail.”
“The individual responsible must be swiftly and decisively brought to justice to the fullest extent of the law,” Cleary said.