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Dog dies after being dumped from stolen car at gas station

The dog was pushed from a stolen rental car the pulled into a gas station in McDonough on Thursday.

Henry County Animal Control wants to find the owner of a dog that was pushed out of a car at a gas station in McDonough.

Gerri Yoder, spokesperson with animal control said on Thursday evening, a late model white Chevrolet Impala with Florida plates; HLDT03 pulled into the BP gas station located at the corner of Zach Hinton Parkway and Highway 42, came to a stop, then pushed a purebred male Rhodesian Ridgeback from the car.

The dog had a puncture to its head and was disoriented. Yoder believes it may have been stabbed.

PHOTOS | Dog dumped from stolen car at gas station euthanized Warning: Viewers may find photos disturbing.

During the investigation, officers discovered the Impala was a stolen Hertz rental car. A manager with Hertz confirmed the last person who rented the car returned it on August 25 and the car was then taken to Fleet Maintenance.

The manager said several employees with Hertz have been fired for taking vehicles from Fleet Maintenance and renting them out on the side. In all, Hertz currently has 53 vehicles that ar unaccounted for. "These are vehicles that have currently been identified as unaccounted for in our system. This could be for a number of reasons that do not necessarily involve theft, like a car being abandoned on the roadside or a tow truck picked it up and we haven't received it yet. Regardless, we make every effort to recover our vehicles," said Lauren Luster, communications manager for Hertz.

Yoder said because the dog needed more veterinary care than the shelter could provide, he was taken to Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue, but ultimately it was euthanized on Monday due to the severity of its injuries.

"We are deeply saddened to learn that an innocent animal has been harmed in such a horrific manner. We are actively working with the local authorities to determine the person who committed this abhorrent action," Luster said.

If anyone recognizes this dog and/or knows who the owner of this dog is, contact Henry County Animal Care and Control Department at (770) 288-7387.

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