Armstrong County humane officers, affiliated with Humane Animal Allies, are looking for information and community help in identifying people responsible for abusing and shooting a dog found on a dirt road near Kittanning.

The black and white pit bull mix, later found to be named Rico, had to be euthanized due to its injuries.

A man spotted the dog walking along the dirt road near Troy Hill in Kittanning on Aug. 3 around 8:45 p.m., Humane Animal Allies said in a news release. He stopped to help the dog, noticed it was skinny and gave it food. He had his own dogs with him, so drove home and called his niece.

Some time between 8:45 and 9:15 p.m., somebody came and shot the dog twice in the head, before the niece and her husband arrived and found the dog whimpering, injured and lying on the side of the road. The dog was then transported to an emergency veterinary hospital, where it was euthanized.

A forensic veterinarian later performed a necropsy that showed the dog was suffering from starvation before being shot.

Anyone who has any information about those responsible for the dog’s condition or injuries is being asked to contact humane officer Susan Clark at 724-316-7691 or armstrongposclark@gmail.com.