San Diego, Calif. – An adorable German shepherd mix was found by a Good Samaritan on Monday laying near the Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve in Pacific Beach back on Dec. 8. The poor boy was obviously in a state of severe starvation

According to Fox 5 News, veterinarians believe the dog—estimated to be three years old—was dumped there by someone because he was much too weak to even walk. The Good Samaritan sought immediate veterinary care, but he was later was taken to San Diego Humane Society’s Pilar & Chuck Bahde Center for Shelter medicine, according to a post on the San Diego Humane Society’s facebook page.

Unfortunately, the dog’s condition was grave. The vets said his organs were failing, and that the most humane thing they could do was humanely euthanize him.

Starvation is torture. It is a painful way to die. It is abuse in the form of omission – that is, failure to provide the dog with food and water. One need not commit an overt act of violence upon a helpless animal to qualify as egregious. According to the Humane Society of the United States,

The pain of an animal who lingers … without nourishment or shelter, can be tremendous—sometimes even more so than those who are victims of directly inflicted violence, because their suffering is so prolonged. Animals who starve to death experience a myriad of painful symptoms throughout each stage of their physical deterioration. (Emphasis added.)

Bill Ganley, the Chief of Humane Law Enforcement, told Fox 5 News that “This [was] absolutely heartbreaking and completely unnecessary.” Ganley went on to explain that

The necropsy revealed socks, a washcloth and a stuffed animal inside this dog’s stomach. San Diego Humane Society is here to help, and to learn this poor dog was left to die in this state just a few miles from our doorstop in unfathomable.

In California, it is a felony under Cal. Pen. Code section 597(d) to deprive one’s pet with proper food or drink. In addition, pursuant to Cal. Pen. Code section 597.1(a)(1), it is a crime to abandon an animal over which one had control.

For this reason, the San Diego Humane Society’s Law Enforcement needs your help in identifying the person or persons responsible for starving their dog to death, as well as abandoning him. Anyone with this information is asked to call 619-299-7012, and press 1. You can also report the person or persons anonymously at 888-580-8477. Another way is through Crime Stoppers, which is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for the arrest of the person or persons responsible.

Those who want to get a pet are urged to think carefully about it and to be prepared to make a lifetime commitment. Those who can no longer care for their pets due to unforeseen circumstances can contact the San Diego Humane Society—or any other animal rescue organization—for help, even if it is to surrender your pet. The animal rescue community will be glad to help.