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Man tries to sell puppy for crack, woman says

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A woman said a puppy’s owner offered to give him up for crack at a Charlotte gas station.

Kaitlin Cappelluti pulled into a QT gas station in east Charlotte around 5 p.m. Thursday and noticed a crowd of men around this dog.

She said the dog's owner was homeless and asked if she had any drugs on her.

"I told him I didn't and I asked him if he'd be willing to sell me the puppy instead of trading him for it," Cappelluti said.

They agreed on $50 and she quickly drove away with the puppy.

"(The puppy) was very lethargic,” Cappelluti said. “Not acting like a puppy whatsoever. I was really concerned about him."

Most of the puppy’s tail was cut off and had burns on his body.

"He's got quite a few scars all over his poor, little body," Barbara Rooney, with South Charlotte Dog Rescue, said.

Rooney offered to help.

"I cried when I saw him,” Rooney said. “It's so upsetting. You know these little things, they rely on us for so much and to see one that's been hurt or neglected or abused, it just kills you."

The puppy was taken to the veterinarian, cleaned up, prescribed medicine and given the name Bart.

"It really breaks my heart. Whatever life he lived before then, because he didn't deserve," Cappelluti said.

Police said this is an active animal cruelty investigation... And an officer is working the case.

Now, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are investigating the animal cruelty case.

"It got assigned to one of our officers who specializes in investigations, so he's been working on it all day," said Melissa Knicely, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Animal Care and Control.

Bart will stay at South Charlotte Dog Rescue until it’s healthy enough for adoption.

No arrests have been made.