The case was closed by police because the family refused to talk about the incident, Hamilton Police Department spokesman Dave Crawford said.

Allen's mother said her daughter didn't want to talk about the incident because it would upset her grandchildren. The dog belonged to the children, she said.

Leland Gordon, executive director of the Animal Friends Humane Society, said he was unaware of the incident.

Animal control officer Vickey Steier of Butler County Animal Control said the crime had not been reported to the agency, but that she does plan to investigate the incident.

Steier said people should report animal cruelty whether they think it is important or not.

"If they're (suspects) doing something to a cat, or to a dog, or to mice, or whatever, those kids, if they're not stopped, they could go onto larger crimes, and it's better to stop this now," she said.

On March 16, a dog's body was found boiled, skinned and left along Four Mile Creek Road near Eaton Avenue in St. Clair Twp.

A humane society veterinarian who performed a necropsy — an animal autopsy — on the 2-year-old animal said the dog was skinned except for fur left on its paws.

Reward money leading to the conviction of those responsible has increased to $10,000, according to Butler County officials.

On March 29, a 2-year-old dog had to have emergency surgery after a Somerville woman found the animal with a chain embedded in its neck.

The chain was removed from the white German shepherd and husky mix's neck in a 40-minute surgery.

The dog's owner, Otis Clark Jr. of Mound Street, was charged with animal cruelty, no license and allowing a dog to run at large.

Anyone with information should call Steier at (513) 200-6621 or the Animal Friends Humane Society at (513) 867-5727.

 

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2190 or dewilson@coxohio.com.