Puppy found covered in graffiti

A puppy was recently found tagged with red spray paint in Bakersfield. The puppy was found across from Sam Lynn Ballpark with the letters "O-A-E" sprayed on her side and a red strip sprayed down her back.

Michelle Lyon met the puppy when her neighbour brought her home. "It's appalling," Lyon said. "We have so many animals dumped all the time, and we have so many graffiti problems in this area, and now we have them both in the same thing."

Some people who live in the area where the puppy was found said this is the new trend in gang tagging. They said they see dogs and cats walking around with spray paint on them all the time.



Those residents spoke on condition of anonymity, because they said they fear the gang members responsible for the graffiti. They said the gang members tag animals to mark their territory.

Officials with the Bakersfield Police Department and the Kern County sheriff's and animal control departments said they're unaware of the problem. They said, however, that they wouldn't expect to hear about it because of the fear of gangs.

The woman who rescued the puppy can't keep her because she isn't allowed to have animals at her apartment complex. She's looking for a good home to adopt the puppy.

With news video.