SAN DIEGO — A badly abused dog named Marissa, a 4-year-old miniature pincher, was found by the San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Officers on Sept. 12 in a parking structure at 2216 El Camino Real in Oceanside.

Marissa was found abandoned in a crate, and appeared to be badly injured. She received immediate medical attention from the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA.

“The injuries indicate that Marissa was strangled and beaten before she was abandoned in the crate. She’s suffered from loss of eye sight from the strangulation and her leg needed to be amputated,” said Randy Lawrence, director of Humane Law Enforcement for the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA.

“We’ve conducted an investigation to find the person(s) responsible, but we have very little information about what happened to Marissa. We’re asking the community to please report any information or possible leads so we can find the person responsible, or Marissa’s previous owners.”

Today, Marissa is doing well and recovering from her injuries. She became available for adoption on Friday, Oct. 19, at the San Diego Humane Society’s Central Campus, 5500 Gaines St. Adoptions open at 11 am. Adoptions are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

“What happened to Marissa is horrific and, unfortunately, we see animal cruelty like this all too often. We rely on information from the community to be able to seek justice for these defenseless animals. In just the past year, 14 cruelty cases have resulted in prosecution, and thousands more have been investigated. Fighting animal cruelty is one of our primary missions,” said Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society.

Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for any information that leads to an arrest. Leads can be reported through an anonymous tip line on www.sdcrimestoppers.com or by calling 888-580-8477. Information can also be reported to the San Diego Humane Society or by calling 619-243-3466.