Los Angeles: On Sunday, December 30, 2001, at approximately 3:00 PM., Southeast officers who responded to investigate a "Shots Fired" radio call at the 10400 block of Hickory Street, learned that a suspect had placed a "M-80" Mexican type explosive device inside a dog's mouth and lit the fuse. The resulting blast blew off the dog's entire lower jaw.

Animal Regulations transported the dog to a veterinary hospital, where the doctors opined the dog was beyond help and was euthanized.

Detectives from the Criminal Conspiracy Section and Explosives Section, were notified and assumed responsibility of the Post Blast Investigation. The investigation revealed the identity and location of the suspect, as well as additional M-80s type explosives and fireworks.

The suspect, 19-year-old Gil Raul Delara, a resident of Los Angeles, was arrested and booked for Igniting an Explosive Device. He was booked at Southeast Area Jail.

On December 31, 2001, the case was presented to the Los Angeles District Attorney's Lynwood Office, who filed charges against suspect Delara for Animal Cruelty multiple counts of Explosives related charges.

This information was provided by the investigating Detectives, Albert Silvas and Michael Kriha, Criminal Conspiracy Section, 213-473-7474.

This press release was prepared by Public Information Officer Eduardo Funes, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.

Dusty, a Labrador-Dalmatian, was scheduled for euthanasia after his first humans dumped him at the city pound. He eluded death by a mere 24 hours and found hope at the Granite City APA. One of the most popular puppies at the no-kill shelter, Dusty was lovingly released to his new home.

That home included a young child. Dusty was left *unattended* with that young child, an almost 3 year old boy. The toddler, being a toddler, provoked Dusty and he nipped at him. The toddler was injured and required two stitches.

What should have happened in this situation was to confine the dog, tend to the bite, and call animal control or another shelter to ask for assistance on how to handle this to prevent future biting.

Instead of taking responsible actions, nearly 10 hours later, a 32 year old, Michael Welch (the toddler's father), came home from work with a sledgehammer, baseball bat, and vengeance on his mind.

Welch took Dusty, chained him to a pole then took that sledgehammer and that baseball bat and beat Dusty for an hour, took a "beer break" and proceeded back to the blood spattered patio where he continued to beat the whimpering dog.

Though neighbors heard Dusty's piteous yelps, Welch's wife and 3 children slept through the ordeal.

Neighbors who heard the dog screaming, finally, called police but it was too late. Dusty was dead.

Police were unable to recognize Dusty as a dog because of the viciousness of the beating. They were finally able to identify him because of his dog tag.

On Saturday, June 9th, 2001, in St. Louis MO. from 12:30 am - 3:15 am Dusty, the most loved dog in the shelter, suffered a horrible, miserable death at the hands of his "guardian."

For more about Dusty and updates on the prosecution of Michael Welch ... and to find out what you can do to help ... click here.

UPDATE: On January 18, 2003, Michael Welch of Green Park, Missouri --who confessed to savagely beating his Dalmatian-Labrador mix Dusty with a sledgehammer and baseball bat--walked out of court with three-years probation. Welch admitted that he had relaxed with "a couple of beers" during a nearly three-hour bludgeoning that left Dusty with fatal head wounds, a broken jaw and hemorrhages. Once probation ends, his record will be wiped clean.

Welch had been charged with felony animal abuse, punishable by up to five years in prison. But when publicity about the case prompted a change of venue, the presiding Judge Preston Dean effectively erased any trace of what Michael Welch did to Dusty on June 9, 2001.

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