Santa Ana police seek woman in puppy cruelty investigation

Santa Ana police are searching for a woman involved in the intentional killing of a nine-month-old pit bull mix on September 8. Surveillance footage released by authorities shows a woman arriving in an older-model Honda Odyssey, described as green or blue, near 926 W. Park Lane.

The video depicts the woman placing the puppy on the ground and spreading food near the driver’s side of the vehicle. As the animal moved toward the food, the woman drove the minivan forward, pinning the puppy under a rear tire for approximately 15 seconds before driving north on Lowell Street.

Investigators released the footage after a resident reported seeing the incident. In California, malicious and intentional killing of an animal can be charged as felony animal cruelty, carrying potential penalties of up to three years in county jail and $20,000 in fines.