Severed dog head found along Route 85

Weird/disturbing story of the day: Albany police say a severed dog head found along Route 85 near the Harriman State Office Campus Monday morning. From the press release:

The Animal Control Officer located a pit bull's head that had been severed. It was on the roadway just before the Washington Avenue overpass. A search of the immediate area initially did not locate the body of the dog. ...
It initially could not be determined whether it's had been intentionally severed or if it was struck by a car.
A search was conducted late this morning and the dog's body was found in between the eastbound and westbound lanes in between the cement supports of the Washington Avenue overpass.
The owner of the dog, who lives in Albany, was located today and she told police the dog was acting strange this past Friday and it got loose from her and took off. She had put out flyers and posters for her dog and called the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society to report her dog missing.

APD spokesman Jimmy Miller told the TU today that the DEC pathologist who examined the dog called the case "very unusual."

Full press release after the jump.

APD: severed dog head found
Yesterday morning Animal Control responded to a call for a dogs head that was found on Route 85 eastbound between the two exits to the State Office Campus just after 8:00 a.m.
The Animal Control Officer located a pit bull's head that had been severed. It was on the roadway just before the Washington Avenue overpass. A search of the immediate area initially did not locate the body of the dog.
The dog's remains were taken to Central Vet and examined and then taken to Five Rivers Environmental Center.
It initially could not be determined whether it's had been intentionally severed or if it was struck by a car.
A search was conducted late this morning and the dog's body was found in between the eastbound and westbound lanes in between the cement supports of the Washington Avenue overpass.
The owner of the dog, who lives in Albany, was located today and she told police the dog was acting strange this past Friday and it got loose from her and took off. She had put out flyers and posters for her dog and called the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society to report her dog missing.
Police also received a call this afternoon from a witness who saw the dog Sunday evening running in the area of the State Office Campus and it seemed to be out of control.
No one has called to report hitting a dog on Route 85.

Comments

I found a severed coyote head along the road in Schodack while cycling a few years back. I assumed it was some kind of warning to the other coyotes.

For how long will pit bulls be brutalized in one form or another? This story breaks my heart.

I drove right by this spot shortly before they found it...I am beyond grateful I didn't have to see it. I'm with Chrisck...this is heartbreaking...pitties deserve better.

"the dog was acting strange this past Friday" - If may head was about to spontaneously fall off, I'd be acting strangely too.

I just lost my appetite for chicken wing cupcakes

" told police the dog was acting strange...a witness who saw the dog Sunday evening running in the area of the State Office Campus and it seemed to be out of control..."


Sounds like...rabies!

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