Police Look For Woman With Eye Patch Who Abandoned Sick Dog At Groomer

EAST BRIDGEWATER (CBS) - Authorities are trying to identify a woman wearing an eye-patch who abandoned a sick Bulldog at a dog groomer.

The woman took the dog to The Secret Garden Pet Resort on Aug. 23 and then never returned to collect him.

The groomer called the town's animal control officer, Lisa McKay, who then notified the MSPCA-Angell's Law Enforcement Department.

The woman was described as wearing an eye-patch on her right eye, with red hair pulled back in a ponytail, and wearing a gray T-shirt with blue jeans. She is believed to be in her mid-forties and about 5 feet 6 inches tall.

The woman gave her name as Melanie Wichester at the dog groomer. Police said they later could not find that name in their database, and that the name was made up.

For the dog, the woman gave the name William Katz.

The dog is an older, male brown-and-white English Bulldog who was covered in pressure sores and suffering from skin, eye and ear infections. He remains at Secret Garden and will be transferred to Long Island Bulldog Rescue in about a week.

Surveillance cameras captured images of the woman inside the building. Authorities are trying to determine how she got to the dog groomer and have interviewed neighbors who live near the business.

A veterinarian said the dog will likely need surgery to help with the severe ear infections.

"We hope that once the public can take a look at this woman and the dog, they might recognize them and be able to identify them for us," said MSPCA's Chelsea Weiand.

Anyone with information on the woman is urged to call the MSPCA's Law Enforcement line at 800-628-5808.

Anyone interested in adopting the dog may contact Long Island Bulldog Rescue.