An Oceanside family is begging the public for help to catch the person who broke into their home and brutally tortured their two huskies, Estrella and Cocayo.
The victim, who we will only call Maria, said she moved into the rental home near Douglas Drive in east Oceanside about six months ago.
Veterinary bills from December show that someone poisoned Maria's dogs with THC. In February, Maria said she came home to find her dogs crying, with acid burns over their faces and bodies.
Someone poured acid on her dogs while they were in the backyard. After that, Maria kept them inside the apartment. She would even go outside with them when they had to go to the bathroom.
Maria believes the same person responsible for injuring the dogs also slashed the tires on the family cars three times.
Friday, the animal abuser was back and broke into Maria's home while she was away. She wasn't gone long, but the attacker had enough time to horrifically torture Estrella and Cocayo.
One of the dog’s eyes was gouged and the other suffered horrible acid burns inside and outside of its body. The abuser also poured acid down the dog’s throat.
Maria and her young son found the dogs. They called police, got the dogs to a veterinarian and moved out that day.
Estrella and Cocayo are still alive, but they are both severely injured. The family thinks the abuser may be a neighbor who wanted them to move out all along.
Maria and her husband said a previous renter also experienced problems in the home, but nothing as severe as animal abuse.
Oceanside police are asking anyone with information to call Lt. Saadat at (760) 435-4580.
There is a GoFundMe page to help pay for the dogs’ mounting medical bills.
