Authorities in Riverside County are looking for a man accused of stabbing his dog multiple times in the neck.
The man was seen by witnesses abusing the dog in Banning early yesterday morning.
Ultimately, the three-year-old male pit bull turned on its owner, biting him on the leg.
The bites were serious enough that the owner was taken to a hospital, but after receiving treatment for the bites, the man returned to the property and stabbed his pet several times in its neck.
He then left the area.
The dog's injuries were so severe, a family member of the owner surrendered the dog to Animal Services for humane euthanasia.
"This appears to be a blatant case of willfully harming an animal and is just a horrible incident to learn about,'' Animal Services Director Julie Bank told NBC.
"Although we are still in the investigation phase, we believe this will be a strong case for us to successfully seek felony animal cruelty. No one has the right to treat an animal in such a violent manner."