Green Bay police were unsure Tuesday whether the dog, a poodle-Pekingese mix named Hulk, was still alive when it baked, WFRV-TV in Green Bay reported. They say the investigation is being taken very seriously.

"That's something that you want to catch very quickly and put a stop to before it escalates," said Capt. Karl Fluery.

Alex Rouse had been out with a friend and discovered when she came back that her home was full of smoke.

"That dog meant everything to me," Rouse said. "That dog went everywhere with me."