Reward offered for suspect accused of dragging dogs behind a car in DeKalb County

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. – An Atlanta-area animal rescue organization is hoping a reward can help identify a man who police say was caught on camera tying two dogs to the back of his car and dragging them down a DeKalb County road .

The Henry County Humane Society tells FOX 5 it is offering a $1,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the man responsible for the abuse.

DeKalb County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Claire Simms Chaffins says the alleged animal abuse occurred on Sept. 13 at the Redan Recreation Center on Phillips Road.

Investigators said surveillance cameras captured the man pulling the dogs behind the car, untying them from his bumper and leaving them to die in the parking lot.

“He briefly got out of the car, untied the dogs and carefully backed out of the parking lot. Our investigators believe this was to hide his license plate from the cameras,” Chaffins said.

A witness made the shocking discovery of the dogs and called the police. Officials described the two animals as a medium-sized black mix and a medium-sized brindle mix that were approximately nine months old. The black dog did not survive his injuries.

Authorities described the car involved in the case as a dark-colored four-door sedan, which may have been a 2008 to 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. The driver was wearing a dark gray top with a white logo on the chest and white lettering on the back, dark pants and a white baseball cap.

“Luckily, those surveillance cameras were there even when the people weren’t there,” Chaffins said.

As the hunt for the driver continues, there is good news. The surviving dog has already found a loving family to call his own.

Officials say the suspect faces two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $30,000 fine.

If you have information that could help the investigation, call the DeKalb County Animal Enforcement hotline at (404) 294-2939.