West Virginia sheriff's office reports dog euthanized after its front legs were severed

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Authorities in West Virginia say a dog was euthanized after someone severed its front legs.

The Kanawha County Sheriff's Office says in a news release that a deputy was in Jefferson, West Virginia, on an unrelated call Tuesday when he was approached about an injured dog. The deputy found the dog's owners, who told him someone tried to cut off both of the animal's front legs. The dog's legs had been severed above the knees, and his face was cut.

The officer took the dog to a veterinary hospital, where three veterinarians were consulted. Surgical and prosthetic options were considered, but the consensus was that the dog's suffering would be too great.

The sheriff's office is continuing to investigate.