CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Photos and videos of a dog named Joey have circled all across social media. Joey was found tied up and abused in a dumpster earlier this month. He is recovering from his injuries, but multiple agencies have called on the public to find out who did this.
Editor's Note: While WCNC Charlotte has blurred out some of the more graphic images, some may still find this story hard to watch and read.
In early February, he was found in a dumpster, tied up with a necktie. Chrissy Elder is the founder of Forgotten, Now Family Rescue. She said she sprung into action to help.
“I will never forget the phone call because it was very frantic," Elder said. “There was a lot of blood and they were unsure what to do... I met him at the ER and they loved him so much, they were so kind to him.”
He was given the name Joey at the ER.
“That is actually the teenager's name that pulled him out of the dumpster," Elder said.
Upon examination, there were long-lasting signs of physical abuse.
“The CT [scan] is actually what was the most alarming, he had so many fractures in various stages of recovery," Elder said. "So this was not the first time Joey had been beaten upside of his skull."
Elder said he is with a foster family already falling in love with him.
"He looks much better -- his progress has been incredible," Elder said, adding, "He is unfortunately still blind in one eye.”
But the question remains: Who would do such a thing?
Elder said she has partnered with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control. The department said these scenes are horrific, but happen all too often. It said in 2022, there were 111 cases of reported animal abuse.
Elder's foundation is offering a $2,000 reward for information.
“If you have ever seen Joey, whether that's at a vet office, at a dog park -- any detail is not too small," Elder said.
Charlotte Crime Stoppers stepped up, too, offering an additional $1,000 reward. It also gained attention from PETA, which is offering an $8,000 reward.
“We were absolutely appalled," a spokesperson for PETA told WCNC Charlotte. “Don’t worry that it may be none of your business, because animal abuse is everyone’s business.”
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.