Animal Cruelty: Dog Drowned In River Using Bowling Ball And Rock

In a disturbing piece of animal cruelty news, a Sacramento man allegedly drowned a dog in a river by tying a bowling ball to a leash in order to weigh it down.

Police say William Meek, 47, is wanted in connection with the deliberate killing of Zelda, a 12-year-old border collie. On June 17 (some sources report June 16), the dog was found floating in the American River in an area near Sacramento’s River Park neighborhood, according to Gina Knepp, city animal care manager.

Attached to its neck was a retractable leash with a bowling ball and rock tied to the other end. It was obvious someone deliberately carried out this heinous act of killing the hapless animal. The cruel act of animal abuse is unconscionable.

Knepp said an implantablepet microchip was attached to Zelda’s neck, and authorities were able to track down the dog’s owner, Meek’s girlfriend, a Sacramento woman, who was staying at another friend’s home at the time.

She told police that Meek offered to take the dog to a local animal shelter after it bit the other woman. Instead, police believe the man tied a bowling ball and rock around the dog’s neck and drowned it in the river, according to News10.

Knepp does not buy the man’s story about taking the collie to the animal shelter.

“Which is obviously not true. We do not believe he came to the shelter.”

Although the abuse and cause of death was obvious even before the autopsy was performed, Knepp said the death investigation showed that the dog suffered trauma around its neck area. This indicates it was in a perilous struggle for its life as it was drowning in the river. And to indicate the brutality of the border collie’s death, it was not killed on land and merely dumped into the river, according to Knepp.

“The dog was alive when it entered the river. It’s a terrible case.”

The Sacramento Police Department planned to arrest Meek Friday for drowning the dog in the river when he showed up at a court appearance on unrelated charges. However, he was a no-show.

Authorities say the suspect in this animal cruelty case is described as a white male, 6 feet 2 inches tall, 200 pounds, blue eyes and brown/gray hair.

Police ask that anyone with information about the matter to call in anonymously at (800) 222-7463 or (916) 443-4357, or send a text to: 274637 (include “SACTIP” plus the tip information).

Residents who learned the dog was drowned in the American River with a bowling ball tied around its neck compare the animal cruelty incident to child abuse. Some neighbors recall how lovable the collie was, and couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt her.

[Image via: News10]