(Jan. 24, 2009) -- Councilwoman Rae Gabelich has told LBReport.com that she is pledging $250 personally as a reward, adding to rewards offered by Friends of LB Animals ($5,000), "Haute Dogs" ($1,000) and Justin Rudd ($1,000), for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the suffocation death, then-arson burning of a Chihuahua dog on Jan. 21 in NLB's Houghton Park (first reported by LBReport.com.

Councilwoman Gabelich confirmed her reward offer to us while she attended today's Open House at LB Animal Care Services HQ in ELB (in photo below with her son Guy).

Asked about progress in cracking the case, Animal Care Services Manager John Keisler told LBReport.com, "We're confident we will solve this case" and added "the rewards that have been offered are helping."

As first reported yesterday (Jan. 23) by LBReport.com, a veterinarian's findings indicate the dog wsas suffocated in the bag and was deceased prior to being set on fire, although there are indications that the likely cause of death was suffocation inside the plastic bag.

In November 2006, two Chihuahua dogs were apparently burned to death while alive in an animal cage in a NW LB alley (area 200 E. Barclay). In that earlier case, rewards totaling $10,000 were offered...but that case remains unsolved.

A Jan. 23 statement by LBFD says a "review of all formal investigations dating back to October of 2008 did not reveal any connections nor were there any animals matching the description. A review of all officers logs from January 19-21, 2009 did not reveal any connections to this incident. A review of the lost and found information dating back to October of 2008 did not reveal any connections to the dog in question. Currently there is no evidence to indicate that this incident is connected to any other arson fires involving dogs in the past."

The investigation is ongoing as we publish...and fliers are being put up and distributed in the area

LBFD flier

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