Princess, photo courtesy of her owner
Deondra Peterson says there are few words to describe the teenagers who doused her dog, Princess, with lighter fluid and burned her last Saturday. The five month old husky/chow mix survived the attack, but died Monday afternoon after her injuries got worse.
"It's evil. That's sick .That's very sick," said Peterson.
Florence police say witnesses saw five or six teenagers pour lighter fluid on Princess near Iola Jones Park on Oakland Avenue.
Peterson says her dog ran into the home right after the attack, but she didn't even realize it was Princess.
"I smell something burning so I'm checking around my house cause I'm thinking something outside might be on fire. A little boy walks by and was like oh yea, your dog was just on fire in the projects."
Peterson says she can't understand who would be so cruel to do that to her dog.
"You know how hot it was that day. I don't understand what made yall want to set a dog on fire in a 104 degrees like you don't think she was hot enough and then she was a chow and husky. She had a bunch of hair and you going to set her on fire and everybody take a turn squiring lighter fluid on a dog."
Audrey Yon didn't witness the attack, but was driving to work when she saw Princess on fire.
"I was on my way going to work and I see this dog was on fire. I say oh my God and I didn't see a police in sight. I say Lord who done that," said Yon.
Peterson says she cleaned Princess to take her to a veterinarian, but she ran under the house and stayed there until Monday.
Peterson crawled under the home and got Princess, but by then it was too late.
"I crawled under the house to get my dog. Like, I don't know too many people's, anybody else would have let their dog just die. I couldn't do it. I didn't want her to suffer. She smelled like her inside was just rotten. She smelled like a dead dog already but she was still alive," Peterson explained.
She called the Florence City Animal Control to come get Princess and she died hours later.
"If you'll set a dog on fire, imagine what they'll do to another human. I don't feel like people like that need to walk around."
Officers say they have good leads on the teenagers believed to be involved. When arrested, they will be charged with Animal Cruelty.
If you have any information on this crime, you're asked to call the Florence Police Department at (843) 665-3191.
