Rewards offered in Wise County puppy deaths

A reward of at least $2,500 from PETA, plus more from Wise County Crime Stoppers, is being offered for help in finding whoever threw nine puppies from a bridge in Wise County, Sheriff David Walker said Tuesday.

Four of the puppies survived the fall from the bridge on County Road 4421 on Monday, according to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

“The callousness of throwing helpless puppies off a bridge demonstrates a blatant disregard for life, a desensitization to suffering,” said Martin Mersereau, PETA’s senior director of the emergency response team.

Walker said Crime Stoppers rewards range up to $1,000. He said Tuesday that no one has responded to the offer.

According to Star-Telegram media partner WFAA, a witness saw someone throw the bag off the bridge and called Cody Kyles, 16, who lives nearby. He told WFAA that he found four puppies alive and brought them home.

In an unusual twist, the pups were reunited with their mother, who was found running around a Wal-Mart 18 miles away in Haslet, WFAA reported. After a photo of the mother was posted on Facebook, animal rescue advocates put two and two together and a reunion was organized.

Anyone with information about the incident should call the Wise County Sheriff’s Department at 940-627-5971.

This story was originally published March 24, 2015 at 12:42 PM with the headline "Rewards offered in Wise County puppy deaths."