A man is being sought after being seen on video abandoning a dog at a cellphone tower in Riverside County last month.
The incident occurred in the Winchester area, when the man was seen picking up a dog and “hurling it over a tall fence topped with razor wire,” according to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.
The video shows the man standing next to the dog before tossing him over and walking away. The dog is later seen walking to the front of the fence watching the man walk away.
Maintenance workers alerted the agency after finding the dog and caring for it at the scene less than two hours after the animal had been abandoned.
Workers told a responding Animal Services officer the dog was very thirsty and they gave the animal three bottles of water.
Because KO the 8-year-old pit bull mix is microchipped, officials were able to identify his owner and have made multiple attempts to find him at his Temecula address.
The owner, Robert Ruiz Jr., 30, no longer lives at the address and the number provided for the chip is not allowing incoming calls, officials said.
“We’re now moving forward with seeking the arrest warrant because this person needs to be held accountable for such a horrible act of willful abandonment,” Animal Services Commander Josh Sisler said in a new release. “We are confident the man in the video is the owner of the dog.
“It is just shocking to see this act. It’s a small miracle the dog did not suffer serious injuries from the razor wire or from such a high drop.”
KO was examined for injuries and is being cared for at a shelter in Jurupa Valley.
Veterinary staff also treated his eyes for mucus discharge.
He has been renamed Ken and is available for adoption or transfer to one of the county’s partner rescue organizations.