Reward for arrest in puppy drowning tops $11K

WEST MILFORD — The reward for information leading to whoever left a puppy submerged in a cage in a pond has topped $11,000.

The dead 10-day-old female golden retriever was found Tuesday by a volunteer for The Last Resort rescue at Jennings Pond. The dog was in a cage with a crystal vase wrapped in a plastic bag to weigh it down, according to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes.

Police on Thursday also were looking to speak to whoever had found the cage in the water. They believe that the cage was pulled from the pond sometime between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday.

"I'm hopeful that charges and an arrest will be made soon because $10,000 is nothing to sneeze at," Last Resort Director Nancy Warner said on Friday.

Warner said the area where the dog was found is known as a spot for illegal dumping.

The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, which is leading the investigation, did not provide an update on the investigation on Friday.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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