Decapitated Dog Reported In Southern California Was Actually Dead Raccoon

LOS ANGELES (AP) - First, there was outrage over a report that a dog had been intentionally drowned at a beach.

Then, someone reported that a decapitated dog was floating in a creek.

Pet owners feared a serial dog killer was stalking Los Angeles, and animal rights groups and the county Board of Supervisors offered a $20,000 reward to find a suspect.

But it turns out the truth was on a loose leash.

Animal control officials disclosed Wednesday that the decapitated dog turned out to be a dead raccoon.

And Friday, authorities told the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/1T9L1QT ) the dog found at the beach was not drowned. It had been hit by a car and was dead by the time it was brought to the beach by its owner, a transient.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.