Reward offered for killer of burned dog

RIVERHEAD, N.Y., July 21 (UPI) -- Investigators in New York state are trying to trace the owner of a pit bull and the person who tied up the animal and set it on fire.

The dog, named Maximus by the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, died Tuesday, six days after it was found in Brentwood on eastern Long Island with burns covering 60 percent of its body, Newsday reported. There were third-degree burns on its face and ears and it had lost some of its teeth.

Before it was set afire, Maximus was doused with gasoline, investigators said. But the dog, about 2 years old, appeared to have been cared for until it met its horrifying end.

Maximus went through three surgeries in an effort to save its life.

The SPCA has increased the reward for information in the case to $20,000.

Roy Gross, head of the Suffolk County SPCA, said he had been deluged with phone calls from people angry about the attack on the dog.

"Seasoned SPCA officers and veterinarians were brought to tears when they visited Maximus and he tried to lick their hands, even though he was in grave condition," Gross said.