TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Tanya Strickland’s kids were playing a game on their cell phones named Harry Potter Wizards Unite on Wednesday afternoon. She was driving and the game directed them to a church parking lot on Hudson Avenue.
The game, much like Pokemon Go, allows players to follow directions to certain areas to click on icons for points. That’s when Strickland and her daughter saw the crate.
“And my oldest daughter, who is an avid animal lover says, mom, I think there’s something in there,” said Strickland. “And I said, please don’t let there be anything in there. So everyone’s heart was just sinking.”
Strickland and her children got closer. Initially they thought there was a cat inside. But then they opened the cage and saw there were two dogs, which appeared to be yorkies, secured in the crate. One of them was barely alive.
“Two in one crate. They were covered in matte, covered in ants, poo and pee,” Said Strickland. “No water no nothing.”
Strickland rushed the two dogs to Pasco Animal Services for treatment. One of the dogs died shortly after arriving. Strickland says the other seems to be doing much better.
Strickland owns the Little Road Farmer’s Market in New Port Richey. One of her regulars is Melissa Parish, an animal lover who’s been rescuing animals for decades. She also volunteers at the animal shelter.
When she learned what Strickland had found, she took to social media, hoping someone might know who would leave these dogs to die.
“To see people just throw them away like they’re garbage and in just such a cruel and inhumane way,” said Parish. “I can’t wrap my mind around how people can be that cruel and that heartless.”
Pasco County Animal Services generally will investigate such cases, but 8 on Your Side wasn’t able to get a progress report on any investigation that may or may not be taking place as county offices are closed for the holiday weekend.
(Story from wfla.com)
