Dog abuse case investigated in Henry County - KMSP-TV

Authorities are searching for the person behind a terrible case of animal abuse in Henry County.

Henry County Animal Care and Control found the dog, named Austin, last week with a collar cutting into his neck so much that it started to grow around it.

"He had a severely embedded collar, which means his neck had grown and his collar and not been adjusted to accommodate his growth," said Karla Slocumb of the Atlanta Humane Society.

Animal control rushed him to the vet for surgery and then to the Atlanta Humane Society to recover.

"This is unacceptable. It's horrible. He is the sweetest dog -- no animal, no person, nobody deserves the kind of cruelty that he's experienced," Slocumb said.

Authorities don't know who Austin belongs to or who is responsible for the abuse, but the humane society is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to a conviction.

"Someone just didn't adjust his collar - it could have been so easily avoided," said Slocumb.

Austin is still healing. Officials are worried about signs of infection, but he'll soon be available for adoption.

"Once he gets the OK from the vet, we would love to find a good home for him," Slocumb said.

Authorities don't know how long the dog had been abandoned when they found him, but he wasn't malnourished. They're asking for help from the public to find the owner.