W.Va. authorities say paw found on railroad tracks suggests train may have severed dog’s legs

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Investigators in West Virginia now believe a dog that was euthanized after its front legs were severed may have been hit by a train.

The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office previously said the injuries were caused by a cutting instrument and were not the result of an accident.

But in a news release Friday, Sgt. B.D. Humphreys says CSX workers found one of the dog’s paws on railroad tracks. He says the injuries that originally were believed to be caused by a cutting instrument also could have been caused by the impact of a train.

Humphreys says the investigation isn’t closed. He says officers have received tips about people who allegedly bragged about injuring the dog. They also have interviewed people with a history of hurting animals.