Who zip-tied and abandoned a cancer-stricken dog in Malibu? $25,000 reward offered for info

An animal protection group is offering a $25,000 reward for help identifying whoever zip-tied a German shepherd's mouth shut before abandoning him in the Malibu wilderness.

Volunteers say the dog, now named Argon, is around 7 years old and describe him as sweet and kind in spite of his ordeal. Since being rescued, he has been diagnosed with lymphoma, which may be terminal.

"We do not know how long he has. It could be weeks or months," said Fleur Dawes, a spokesperson for In Defense of Animals. "We do know that we're going to make that time as comfortable as possible for him."

"If the person who did this to the dog was of sound mind," she added, "they would have been aware that they were sentencing him to death."

A couple headed out to rock-climb at a remote location found Argon on July 3 with zip ties around his neck and snout. Argon cautiously approached the climbers, who were able to coax him into letting them take the tie off his mouth before police and animal control arrived, according to In Defense of Animals.

Initially, the group offered a $2,500 reward for information leading to the person responsible for abandoning the dog. But multiple donations poured in after the group revealed the dog's plight, and the reward has now ballooned to $25,000.

Argon was found about 250 feet down the side of the road near the 500 block of North Malibu Canyon Road — roughly four miles from the coast. He was taken first to the Palmdale Animal Care Center for medical treatment, then to the Agoura Animal Care Center. Both facilities are operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. He was taken in by an Orange County German shepherd rescue on July 11.

It's unclear how long Argon was in the wilderness before he was found, but Dawes said she does not believe it was too long.

"Dogs cannot sweat like humans to keep cool. They pant through their mouths to regulate their body temperature and it would not be likely that he was out there for a terribly long time," Dawes said.

One of the rock climbers who found the dog, and wishes to remain anonymous, said Argon appeared to be injured and required help getting to the animal control officers who responded to the scene.

Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control Director Marcia Mayeda called the circumstances in Argon's case "horrific, and an affront to human decency and our role as responsible stewards to our pets."

"We are certain he will get the love and care he has always deserved for the rest of his days," Mayeda said.

After being rescued, he was found to have double ear infections, was covered in painful warts and had hind leg trauma, In Defense of Animals said in a statement .

He probably traipsed through poison oak while out in the wilderness and the swelling in his paws had not subsided as of Thursday, Dawes said.

To report a tip, anonymously or otherwise, call (415) 879-6879. Donations for the reward can be made at idausa.org/argon.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .