Dogs found duct taped and abused

The dogs were left at different locations in Tomball since Christmas. They all have been found with similar signs of abuse.

Among the dozens of unwanted dogs and cats that find refuge in a Tomball area animal shelter, we found a newer arrival.

"Her name is Vegas, she's probably a year and a half," said shelter volunteer Sue.

Shelter volunteers say it's the small black dog's sweet demeanor that made her a target of torture. Even worse, Sue noticed injuries to the dog's genitals.

"The back end was very infected, really swollen big," Sue said.

Sue and other shelter volunteers considered it a sick, but isolated case of cruelty, until they heard other duct taped dogs showed up near a Tomball area body shop.

"The first dog showed up, her legs were duct taped together and she was inside the fence," said Greg Eckelkamp with Tomball Collision Center. "She ran off and we've had three others I guess since then."

Witnesses say at least one of the other dogs was a white pit bull mix, also with other injuries. All of the animals seem to have suffered some kind of abuse.

"It makes you mad," Eckelkamp said. "You feel sorry for them and wonder what you can do to help them."

Shelter workers treated Vegas for a serious infection caused by the abuse. Now that the infection is cleared up she is doing better. She got spayed, but there is still evidence of abuse on her leg left over from the duct tape.

As the dogs recover and find homes, animal lovers in Tomball worry and wonder who might be responsible. No law enforcement agencies have gotten involved as of yet. One complaint has been filed at the Houston SPCA concerning these cases. You can file complaints here.

The good news for Vegas is that she has been adopted.

We worked on this story through our partnership with Houston Community Newspapers. You can read more about it in the Tomball Potpourri.