Animal Rescue Group Discovers Gruesome Scene In Tulsa Backyard

An investigation is underway after an emaciated dog was found in a yard in north Tulsa where three more dogs were found dead.

Tulsa Animal Welfare is investigating the case as animal cruelty.

Oklahoma Alliance for Animals member Alyssa Stone was with the rescue group who got a tip about a dog struggling to stay alive.

"They had seen a very emaciated dog eating a dead dog that was in the backyard trying to survive," said Stone. 

She calls the dog "Survivor" because of the conditions he was found in.

"I started to smell something dead and then I noticed not one dead body, not two, but three dead dogs. Two still connected to their chains," said Stone. 

She said one of the dogs appeared to be decapitated but said it could have happened after the dog was already dead.

While Stone was at the home, she called Tulsa Animal Welfare who came out to seize "Survivor" and collect the dead dogs as evidence.

Jean Letcher said a vet is conducting autopsies on the dogs in order to rule out any diseases as the cause of death.

However, she said at this point in the investigation, the cause of death seems pretty clear.

"We think it is a simple case of starvation and that's what we'll be pursuing," Letcher said. 

Stone has worked dozens of cases like this one but said seeing animals suffering never gets any easier.

"Honestly, I went home that night and bawled my eyes out like a little baby," Stone said. 

Now she hopes justice is served.

"I'd like to see charges filed and the owner go to jail," she said. 

Tulsa Animal Welfare has found the owner of the dogs but is not releasing their name because charges have not been filed.

As for "Survivor," he's at Tulsa Animal Welfare doing well. They expect him to make a full recovery.