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Citizen reports lead to rescue of wounded dog, felony animal cruelty charge
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. -- Thanks to citizen reports, two dogs have been rescued and one man has been charged with felony animal cruelty in Red Willow County.
On Wednesday afternoon, February 19, the Nebraska State Patrol was alerted to a severely injured dog in northwest Red Willow County. Troopers discovered that the dog had several stab wounds and transported it to the Red Willow Animal Clinic, where it underwent emergency surgery. The dog had more than 15 stab wounds.
Veterinarians at the clinic were able to save the dog during a surgery that lasted longer than two hours. Since then, an anonymous Christian donor from Colorado has covered all medical costs.
Earlier in the week, troopers had been called to a report of a transient man who was reportedly covered in blood. Upon arrival at the scene in northwest Red Willow County, troopers and Frontier County deputies located the man and observed blood on his clothes and hands.
Witnesses said the man had had two dogs with him in previous days, but only one dog was with him when troopers found him on Tuesday. Troopers determined that the dog did not belong to him and took it to the animal shelter and transported the man to a shelter in North Platte.
Following the discovery of the second dog Wednesday, the man, James Wagner, 29, was sought on a charge of animal cruelty. He was then located Thursday at the Lincoln County Jail, where he had been lodged for shoplifting. He is being held on charges of felony animal cruelty from Red Willow County.
The injured dog will remain at the Red Willow Animal Clinic and, if unclaimed, will be up for adoption after ten days.
The other dog will also be up for adoption if it is not claimed. Both adoptions will be through the McCook Humane Society.