TAMPA, Fla. — The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is offering an $11,000 reward to catch the person who tossed three puppies from a moving vehicle.
Regan Blessinger with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay said the puppies were discovered on a dead-end road near Bearss Avenue in Tampa.
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay rescued two of the puppies, but a third puppy died after being hit by a car.
Kyla Faison noticed the puppies in her neighborhood and called the shelter.
"The fact that someone could do something like that to an animal and do it where they think no one is going to find them or catch them. It's sick to me," said Kyla Faison.
Actor and retired wrestler Dave Bautista commented on the humane society's Instagram post.
He wrote, "This makes me sick to my stomach. And when it happens in my own community, I can't help but take it personally."
Bautista contributed $5,000 to the reward. Florida Voices for Animals also contributed to the reward. Another donor also gave money.
"It's okay to surrender your puppies if you cannot take care of them, but throwing them out of a moving vehicle or abandoning them is not," said Blessinger.
Shelter officials named the 8-week-old pointer/hound mixes Luke and Leia. They suffered minor injuries and broken bones.
"If they can do this to an animal, can you imagine what they could do to a person? They’re defenseless animals. The puppies were so small. They’re not big. They can’t do anything. It broke my heart, it broke my heart," said Faison.
Anyone with any information on this crime is asked to contact the Humane Society of Tampa Bay at 813-625-0910.
You can also email them at communications@humanesocietytampa.org
