Police looking for answers after dog dubbed 'Heroic Henry' dragged behind minivan in north Saskatoon

Police and witnesses are looking for answers after a dog dubbed Heroic Henry was dragged behind a minivan in Saskatoon’s north end.

“People saw a van with a dog tethered to the back and they were dragging the dog along the pavement at a fairly high speed,” said Patricia Cameron, executive director with the Saskatoon SPCA. The organization has since named the dog Heroic Henry and started a fundraising page for him to assist in his recovery.

On Sunday at around 7:30 p.m. Saskatoon police fielded calls from witnesses who say they saw a dog being dragged behind a minivan driving west on Lenore Drive near Silverwood Road.

Police said witnesses were attempting to stop the minivan when the leash broke, freeing the dog. The minivan did not stop and was last seen traveling northbound on Wanuskewin Road.

Officers rushed the badly injured dog to a veterinary clinic where he remains in critical condition. He is expected to have a long recovery.

Cameron said her organization is covering the vet bills that are in the thousands of dollars.

“It’s estimated between $3,000 and $5,000 at this point, he was very seriously injured.”

Cameron said she has heard of cases in Canada before where a dog was deliberately pulled behind a vehicle, but she said it’s too soon to tell if this case was malicious or not.

“I have heard of cases where people simply forgot that they tethered the animal. The other possibility is somebody tethered the animal to the vehicle and the van owners had no awareness of it.”

The minivan is described as being dark in colour and when last seen the leash was still attached to a rear trailer hitch.

Witnesses told police there were two people in the van, described as Caucasian male and female. The dog is a large-size male pit bull, grey/beige in colour, approximately three to five years of age.

Anyone with information about the persons, vehicle, or dog involved in this incident is asked to contact the Saskatoon Police Service at 306-975-8300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

– With files from CKOM’s Ashley Wills