CrimeStoppers and Honolulu police are seeking witnesses in connection with a felony animal cruelty case involving a dog found dead with a slit throat in Waikiki.
Police responded to a 911 call at about 1 p.m. June 15 from a person in a high-rise who saw a male slicing the dog’s throat with a large knife on the rooftop of the Palms, an adjacent apartment building at 431 Nahua St.
The witness was on a higher floor of an apartment building and saw a male clad in camouflage clothing and the dog on the rooftop of the Palms, CrimeStoppers coordinator Sgt. Chris Kim said at a news conference held Friday at Sister Roberta Derby Park next to the Honolulu Police Department’s main headquarters.
When police arrived at the scene, officers found a pool of blood and a blood trail on the fire exit stairwell that leads to the rooftop. Kim said police were unable to locate the dog or suspect at that time.
The next morning, officers responded to an area next to Leahi Beach Park on Diamond Head Road after a caller reported finding a large plastic storage tote next to a tree. Inside the container was a dead dog with a slit throat.
“We do believe the two cases are connected,” Kim said.
The area where the dog was found is a couple of miles away from the Palms.
The brown-and-white dog appeared to be of mixed breed, approximately 35 to 40 pounds, and was wearing a black collar with brown pin striping on it but no tags.
It’s a gruesome and sad situation, Kim said.
Police have opened a first-degree cruelty to animals investigation. The offense is a Class C felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
Animal cruelty cases are taken seriously, Kim said. This year, Honolulu police have investigated more than 25 first-degree and second- degree animal cruelty cases, compared with nearly 50 animal cruelty cases in 2021.
Any witnesses who saw someone drop off the storage tote near the beach park on June 15, or any resident from nearby residential buildings in Waikiki who may have seen or heard anything, are urged to call CrimeStoppers.
“We understand that people are scared of retaliation, retribution, but here at CrimeStoppers we promise to keep you 100% anonymous,” Kim added.
CrimeStoppers Honolulu created an Animal CrimeStoppers program in partnership with the Hawaiian Humane Society in 2001.
Retired Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard, who serves as a board member and is on the Animal CrimeStoppers committee, said, “When Sgt. Kim told me this story, it just broke my heart. I mean, I just can’t imagine something like that happening to an animal.”
A lifelong animal lover, Ballard owns two rescue dogs — a golden retriever- border collie mix and a golden retriever — two English setters and a blind tabby cat. She is also foster mom to four kittens from the Hawaiian Humane Society. She implored any witnesses to come forward “to help bring whoever did this to the dog to justice.”
Ballard noted studies show a direct correlation between animal abuse and violence toward people, and said she worries the suspect could potentially harm a person.
Anyone with information on the animal cruelty case is urged to call CrimeStoppers at 808-955-8300. The public can also send anonymous tips to honolulucrime stoppers.org or via the P3 Tips app.
