TAMPA, Fla. — Another case of animal cruelty is reported in the Tampa Bay area.
Three puppies were "mercilessly" thrown out of a moving car in North Tampa and one of them did not survive, according to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
The incident reportedly took place Wednesday night on a dead-end road off Bearss Avenue and Fisher Drive. Staff brought the puppies to the shelter Thursday morning after a neighbor alerted the team.
"This disregard for the life of vulnerable beings is not acceptable and is, in fact, illegal," the organization wrote.
A $10,000 reward is being offered in hopes of finding the person responsible. Hollywood star Dave Bautista donated $5,000 to the reward fund.
In an Instagram comment, the former WWE wrestler wrote in part, "This makes me sick to my stomach. And when it happens in my own community, I can’t help but take it personally."
One of the puppies, who staff named Paolo, did not survive after reportedly being struck by a driver.
The surviving siblings, whom the shelter named Luke and Leia after Star Wars, are being treated by medics at the shelter. Staff said Leia suffered from a leg injury. Both are estimated to be 8 weeks old.
"Violence against animals is almost always linked to violence against humans and is a detriment to the safety of this community," the organization stated.
College student Kyla Faison was the neighbor who called the Humane Society of Tampa Bay for help.
Faison said she heard a car screeching late Wednesday and the sounds of yelping. She said when she moved closer, she found Paolo dying with a tire mark across his body.
Faison said the driver who abandoned the puppies may be the same one who killed Paolo.
"We move closer, and we see that it's shallow breathing," Faison said. "As we get closer, it throws its head back one last time, and it stops breathing."
Faison said she can't get the cries out of the dying pup out of her head. She said she then looked after the surviving pups until the morning.
The recent case is one of other animal cruelty cases in the Bay Area in recent weeks. In Wimauma, a 3-year-old dog and her six puppies were reportedly thrown out of a car. In unincorporated Pinellas County, a cat was found shot with an arrow.
"This is just never the answer," Regan Blessinger, Humane Society of Tampa Bay's marketing and content manager, said. "It's just heartlessness."
Blessinger said shelters are seeing a rise in abandonment cases.
She said while many shelters are at full capacity and may not immediately take in an animal, it's important to be patient and revisit with a shelter. Staff are also able to provide other resources or provide tips to rehome a pet.
Faison, a criminology student, said she hopes justice is served by finding the person responsible and that the surviving pups find a loving home.
"Whether they're human or not, I don't believe in cruelty," Faison said. "They didn't deserve it."
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay encourages anyone with information to call or email them, or reach out to police.
The organization can be reached at (813) 625-0910 or communications@humanesocietytampa.org.