Dogs dumped and tossed out like trash. Authorities found two dead dogs in just the past four days. One of those dogs was found outside of a dumpster of a Cape Coral church and another was found tossed into the trash at a North Fort Myers truck stop.
Investigators don't know if either of the dogs were alive when they were tossed out. They are hoping our report will help them find whoever did this.
Jesus Coca is a truck driver from Fort Myers. When we told him that a puppy was found in the trash can at one of his favorite truck stops he said, "If you cannot take care of the animal why not take it to a shelter?" Even though two recent cases happened miles apart, investigators with Lee County Domestic Animal Services wonder if they could somehow be connected.
This past Saturday a small black Labrador puppy was found dead at Love’s truck stop in North Fort Myers. Coca tells us, "I wouldn't put it past maybe a truck driver, you know, who picked one up from friends or family or whatnot and just got tired of having it in the truck. Couldn't stand the smell of an animal in the truck."
The lab puppy was dumped inside of a trash can next to the store’s gas pumps. Coca tells us it's not the first time he's heard about dogs being dumped at truck stops. "I have seen dogs being put out on a truck stop, just taken out of the truck and left at the property."
When asked who could have done such a thing Coca replied, "A person with no conscience." Authorities can’t tell us if either of the dogs were dead at the time they were dumped."
They're hoping the truck stop's surveillance cameras provide the proof.
On Tuesday a Pomeranian mix was found next to a dumpster at Cape Coral Community Church and Christian school.
Investigators say it's likely whoever did this was no saint, as the dog's right leg was completely shattered. The dog also had a microchip registered to a man named Bradford White.
We tracked White's last known address to a home in the 1700 block of Santa Barbara Place in Cape Coral.
The current residents tell us White must have moved out since they've been living here for the past five years. Investigators are now left to piece together a puzzling mystery.
They’re now hoping Bradford White comes forward to shed some light on what may have happened.
Officials with Lee County Domestic Animal Services will give us more information about this case Thursday. If you know anything about these, or other similar cases, you're urged to contact them.
