One dog died and another was burned. Tower District residents seek answers
Some residents of Fresno’s Tower District are worried for their pets and are keeping animals inside after reports of cats and dogs being injured or killed in the neighborhood.
The reports are circulating on social media sites Nextdoor and Facebook, where Angelica Cardiel reported that one dog died and a second sustained serious burns while they were in their yard near Palm and Olive avenues. She reached out to neighbors to ask if anyone else noticed similar issues. Several related similar stories.
Cardiel said about two weeks ago, her children went outside to play with the pets, and ran back inside to say that one dog named Baby was not moving. The 5-year-old mixed pug was dead.
Several days later, Cardiel noticed that Indo, a chihuahua-terrier, was missing some fur, but Cardiel thought nothing of it at the time. However, when she took Baby in to be cremated and showed Indo to her vet, she was asked how the dog had been burned. It appeared a caustic substance had been poured on the animal.
Cardiel said she did not contact police about the apparent burns because she did not believe the dog’s injuries were possibly inflicted on purpose until about a week later.
Capt. Phil Cooley, of the Fresno Police Department’s Central District, said Tuesday that a review of calls for service did not show any recent reports concerning suspicious deaths of area animals.
Said Cardiel of Indo’s wounds: “It was all down his spine. I was scared. What if my kids had walked outside when this was happening (to the dog)?
Cardiel said she’s putting cream on Indo’s wounds, and the dog is getting better. But between the wounds to Indo and the expenses for Baby, she is out about $800.
“Baby was part of the family,” she said. “It hurt. The children cried.”
On social media, other neighbors reported similar incidents: at North College and East Belmont, a 10-month old puppy died; at Palm and Belmont, another dog died suddenly.
This story was originally published September 11, 2018 at 1:02 PM.