ATHENS, Ga. — Thousands of dollars in reward money is being offered for information leading to the arrest of a man who was caught on camera dragging, kicking, and beating a dog in Athens.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is offering the $5,000 reward after a neighbor captured a man in Athens-Clarke County abusing a dog in the 100 block of Lavender Road near Jefferson Road.
An Athens-Clarke County Police report states the surveillance video shows the man walking in a yard on April 13 while wearing all black while and dragging a dog.
The man stops, hits the dog in the head so hard the blunder is audible in the video, then he kicks it as it laid seemingly unconscious on the ground, according to the report.
Police said a second camera angle shows him then drag the unconscious dog by its leash across the yard toward the roadway. He stops to hit the dog again and knock it to the ground after it tries to get up.
After one last hard hit, the report states the pup is pictured laying motionless in the grass. Police are not sure if the animal is dead or alive at this point.
PETA called the incident a "merciless attack," urging anyone with information to come forward.
"So that the abuser can be held accountable and separated from his victim, who may well be in need of urgent veterinary care," the organization said.
Police said the man in the video doesn't live at the address where it was taken. Residents in the area told officers they didn't know who he was and had never seen the dog before.
Police still haven't arrested a suspect in the case, but they said in the report they have "probable cause" to charge the person in the video with aggravated animal cruelty.
PETA said the dog appears to be of medium to large build, possibly with black and white markings. They're offering $5,000 for an arrest in the case.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call police at (706) 613-3888.