Police in Colorado are searching for a dognapper who, after snatching his four-legged best buddy from his owner’s backyard, “had the audacity” to toss him out of a moving vehicle, shattering the animal’s spine and forcing veterinarians to put him down.
The Commerce City Police Department issued a press release on Nov. 28 identifying the dog as “Rambo” and sharing the news on social media, saying, “This sweet boy had to be euthanized.”
Rambo was snatched from his backyard last month when he was away from home, and his owner told investigators and KDVR that he didn’t learn of his terrible fate until he saw the police department’s Instagram press release.
“This is sickening and heart-wrenching and we desperately need your help,” CCPD stated. “On November 23rd at around 7:45 p.m. someone had the audacity to throw this poor animal out the passenger side window of a moving car at the intersection of East 64th Avenue and Monaco Street.”
A good Samaritan saw “the horrific ordeal” and reported it, according to the CCPD. Rambo was euthanized by police after they arrived on the scene and took him to an emergency veterinarian “in both tremendous pain and unable to move” due to his injuries.
“We are continuing to investigate what happened next and who is responsible for the terrible act,” CCPD stated.
According to police sources, one of the challenges detectives have been facing is that their primary witness, who witnessed Rambo being thrown from the suspect’s automobile, was too traumatized and concerned about the dog’s safety to recall the appearance of the vehicle.
In a Facebook response to a user who requested a description of the car and if there was surveillance footage from a nearby business or residence, CCPD stated, “Unfortunately the witness was so jarred and went immediately to help the dog (and it was dark) that he didn’t get a description or plate.” According to the CCPD, “it was caught on camera at a business, but just in the corner, and it’s impossible to tell which.”
If apprehended, police intend to prosecute the dognapper with felony aggravated animal cruelty, officials said.
Joanna Small, the public information officer for Commerce City, stated on Monday that although there are occasionally animal abuse instances in the Denver metro region, they rarely go to the felony level.
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“The main officer who responded emailed me her report because she was so upset,” Small stated. “Seeing that dog’s face really affected her. She wanted to save the dog. It was terrified. It went to bite them when they tried to help. That’s why it was wearing a muzzle.”
Small claims that when Rambo arrived, the emergency veterinarians noted that he “didn’t have any sensation in its body.” She described herself as “literally unable to move.” In essence, a quadriplegic
On Monday, police continued their investigation and searched the car for leads.
