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In what was called an “extreme case of animal cruelty,” an 8-year-old dog was stabbed and skinned before being left in a Simi Valley park, and authorities were working to determine the person or persons responsible for the “heinous” crime, the Humane Society of the United States said Monday.

The dog’s mutilated remains were discovered on the morning of Sept. 7 in a park in the neighborhood of Ardenwood Avenue and Charing Street, according to a news release from the Humane Society. The details in the animal protection organization’s release have been confirmed by the Simi Valley Police Department.

A necropsy on the canine — described as a Parsons black and white terrier mix — revealed it died of a blunt force trauma to the neck, according to the release. The animal was then skinned and stabbed several times after its death.

The Humane Society did not specify what park the deceased dog was found, but Foothill Park is near the location provided by the organization.

In the release, Eric Sakach, a senior law enforcement specialist for the Humane Society, called the case a “grisly and heinous act of violence” against the “poor dog.” He believed the pooch was a family pet.

Bryan Bray, a Ventura County Animal Services field operations supervisor, described the act as “extreme animal cruelty.”

“This is the most horrific scene we have ever seen in Ventura County,” he said in the release. “Someone capable of this act poses a threat to other animals, and possibly people. We want to find the person or persons responsible and bring them to justice.”

A $5,000 reward has been offered by the Humane Society for information leading to the identification, arrest and convictions of those responsible for the crime.

The agency has asked anyone with information to  contact Bryan Bray at 805-383-4717, Aaron Ortega at 805-388-4329 or Simi Valley police at 805-527-2911.

The case hasn’t been linked to any other instances of animal cruelty, but it comes on the heels of several dogs recently being found with chemical burn injuries in the Antelope Valley and Kern County.