TWIGGS COUNTY, Ga. — When Elizebeth Barker Bracewell showed up to a Twiggs County home to help an injured dog named Patches, she says she couldn't tell at first what was wrong.
"Just as happy as he could be! You couldn't really see that anything happened to him," she says, "And then you turn around and you just see scorched, this awfulness, just awfulness."
His tail was burned to the bone, so badly that half needed to be amputated.
"You can tell that he tucked his little tail under him and burnt all his undersides right here and all underneath his legs were just burnt," says Bracewell.
According to a police report, Patches ran away on Sunday from his home on Lawrence Drive. When he returned a couple hours later, his owner noticed the dog's tail and stomach were burned.
That's when he called the sheriff's office.
He also gave Patches over to the Greenwood Farm Vet Clinic for medical care, along with his brother Charlie.
Charlie wasn't injured, but he says the two can't be separated.
Major William Stokes with the Twiggs County Sheriff's Office says the investigation is just getting started.
"We're still doing some investigations to find out what person or persons caused the damages to the animal. As soon as we do, we'll pursue felony charges for aggravated cruelty to animals," says Major Stokes.
Stokes says this charge carries a sentence of one to five years and a fine of up to $15,000.
Bracewell says Patches will make a full recovery and the next step is to find a home for both him and Charlie.
If you have any information on the case, you can call the Twiggs County Sheriff's Office at 478-945-3357.
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