Passerby spots dog hanging from bridge

HINSDALE, N.Y. (WIVB) - Is it possible that someone would intentionally drop a dog off the side of a bridge while it was still connected to its leash?

That's what authorities in Cattaraugus County are trying to determine. The lifeless body of the small dog was discovered hanging from the side of a bridge in Hinsdale.

Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Det. Ronald Lott said, "The leash was wrapped around a post to the guardrail. It definitely had to be tied there by a person. It wasn't a case of it being wrapped around. It was looped through."

Det. Lott says the leash was attached to the collar. The dog, about 2-years-old, is described as a brown and black Terrier, weighing under 20 pounds. Authorities have not been able to locate the animal's owner.

"We did an aggressive neighborhood canvas of the area, and we were unable to locate the owner of the dog nor were we able to locate anybody that's ever seen the dog in the area," Det. Lott said.

The dog had a camouflage collar on, but no tags. The dog was discovered Sunday afternoon by someone walking in the area of the bridge on Underwood Road. At this point, investigators are working on a couple of theories.

One is that someone spotted the dog on the bridge running loose, and because they couldn't find the owner they decided to tie it to a post, and the dog acidentally fell off. The other possibility is that someone intentionally did this to the animal.

Det. Lott said, "It's not the best choice to tie a dog on a bridge like that. It is an unusual place to tie the dog."

Authorities are still trying to find the animal's owner. Anyone with information should call the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office at 938-9191.