The SPCA of Texas is offering $5,000 as a reward to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of any individual who abandoned 10 newborn puppies at a car wash in Van, Texas on June 5 — an act that's considered an animal cruelty crime.

According to a release, on Wednesday June 5 at approximately 7 pm, the Van Police Department was dispatched to a car wash located at 130 Cedar St., where someone abandoned the just-born puppies in a wire crate without access to food or water. The puppies were taken to the Van Police Department where they were housed and cared for over night.

On Thursday, June 6, the Van Police Department contacted the SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigations (ACI) Unit, who picked up the puppies and transported them to the Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center where they are receiving veterinary care.

Anyone with information should contact the SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit at 214-742-7722 (hit #4) or email aci@spca.org.

“Abandoning animals can be so dangerous, especially in the extreme weather that we’ve been experiencing recently," said SPCA of Texas Chief Investigator, ACI Unit Courtney Burns, CAWA. "Thankfully these puppies were discovered quickly, and we were able to get them some help before it was too late."

“For someone to abandon these helpless, newborn puppies is outrageous,” Burns said. “Once their health is stable, we have trained and devoted fosters who will make loving homes for them until they are old enough to be adopted into forever homes.”

The SPCA of Texas notes that animal cruelty is often an early warning sign of violent tendencies that will be acted out against people. Childhood cruelty to animals has been linked to later antisocial and aggressive behavior in several retrospective studies. The SPCA of Texas is committed to stopping this cycle by maintaining an active ACI Unit that responds to reports of abuse and neglect in North Texas counties.

The SPCA of Texas ACI Unit partners with Texas Humane Legislation Network (THLN) as they lobby at the city and state level to strengthen animal cruelty statutes and laws, encourages the community to get involved in their local and state government to advocate for animals, and urges individuals to report all suspected animal cruelty to their local law enforcement agency.

The $5,000 reward comes via a generous gift from an anonymous donor.

To report suspected cruelty or abuse in Van Zandt or Hunt County to the SPCA of Texas, call 214-742-SPCA (7722) or visit www.spca.org/abuse.