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Dog Dragged Behind Pickup Truck Going To A Loving Home

RIVERSIDE (CBS) — A white German Shepherd puppy whose paws were injured when she was dragged down a Riverside street while tethered to the rear of a pickup truck will be going to live in a loving home, it was announced Thursday.

According to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, a Los Angeles couple was selected to be the new owners of the 10-month-old shepherd mix after winning an essay contest that the agency held to identify the most suitable caretakers for the canine.

Nancy Vernon and Wolfgang Matthies of Glassell Park were among 37 essayists who entered submissions, some of which came from as far away as New England.

"All I can say is that we would guarantee the beautiful ... dog a warm, loving home with couches and beds ... and people to enjoy her," the couple wrote. "We want her to feel secure, stable and happy."

The dog was spotted being dragged behind a red pickup on La Sierra Avenue, in the area of Claycroft and Peacock lanes, on the evening of Nov. 2.

Witnesses told police that the animal was tied to a rope, and the man at the wheel of the truck didn't appear to care.

The driver eventually stopped, untied the dog and sped away, authorities said.

Animal control officers were summoned to the scene by police and transported the canine to the Western Riverside County Animal Shelter in Jurupa

Valley, where she underwent treatment for ripped paws.

The pickup driver, if located, could face animal cruelty charges, authorities said.

Anyone with information was urged to call the shelter at (951) 358-7387.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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