Dog found hung from fence; animal cruelty investigation underway

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - An animal cruelty investigation is underway, after a shocking scene of a dog found hanging from a fence was found in a Phoenix neighborhood.

At this point, investigators don't know how the dog died, or how long it had been hanging. The people who live at the house where the dog was found were not home when police arrived, and a note was left on their gate.

Meanwhile, neighbors are horrified that someone would be so cruel.

"It almost make me want to cry," said Katherine Walls.

"I'm kind of mortified," said a person, who was only identified as "Bentley". "I've been living in this neighborhood for years, and would never expect anything of it. Not as gruesome as this."

Phoenix Police say a local media outlet saw a picture of the dog hanging from the fence on Facebook and reported it to authorities, who were able to track down an address. They say by the time they got to the location, the small dog had been taken down and laid on the ground. Investigators are trying to figure out if someone hung the dog, or if it accidentally hung itself.

Police also say it's not clear if the dog had died before it was hung, or if it died because of it.

So far, an owner has not claimed the dog.

Neighbors say the dog was first seen hanging from the fence Thursday morning.

"It's cruelty, that's all I can say," said Joe Bennett. "It's cruelty to animals."

"Whoever would do something like that. god help them," said Walls. "I tell you I would have to get him. I would have to say something."

The Arizona Humane Society will perform a necropsy on the dog, which may reveal how it died. If it is determined that someone did hang the dog, that person, if caught, could face animal cruelty charges.