JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — ACPS is on the hunt for clues after the young dog was found fatally shot and tied to a tree by a pond in the Lakewood neighborhood, located just south of San Marco.

Less than a week ago, a worried resident contacted ACPS, uncertain about the dog’s condition or fate.

An officer responded to the scene on Gila Lane, where the dog was found lifeless, restrained by a retractable leash and adorned with a bright blue harness.

“The cause of death wasn’t immediately clear,” said Michael Bricker, chief of ACPS Jacksonville. “However, visible wounds led to the suspicion that the dog had been shot.”

Veterinarians confirmed the cause via X-ray.

“Our veterinarian did a full workup on the dog, and we did an X-ray and we confirmed that the dog was shot 3 times,” Bricker said.

The dog had no microchip, leaving investigators still searching for the owner or person behind it.

The responding officer named the dog Valor.

“The officer that responded, I asked him, you know, if you could name this dog, what would you name him? He named him Valor. It’s special to him and it means a lot to us now too,” Bricker said.

Flowers and a dog bone now mark a memorial at the tree. Nearby neighbors expressed shock when they learned the news. Wiley Dean, a dog owner with a 90-pound yellow lab, said he’d never seen Valor before.

“You should never hurt a living creature,” Dean said. “I don’t know why somebody would even try to tie it up and do that to an animal. They deserve to sit in a jail cell and rot.”

Bricker called it a violent crime against a defenseless animal.

“There’s no reason for this to happen at any time, any day,” he said. “If they would have posted this, this beautiful year-old puppy, you know, for adoption on the internet, he would have found a home. He would be fine right now, happy, healthy, and alive, but this person chose to go a way different route.”

ACPS gave details to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, praising their work on prior abuse cases like Oak the Great Dane, also known as Miracle.

“They were critical for our last big case in Miracle,” Bricker said. “So I think they’re going to do everything they can in this instance, and we’re also contacting Crime Stoppers.”

Although no real close-up images of the dog were available, ACPS posted an image to social media, generated by artificial intelligence, that shows what Valor may have looked like while alive.

They’re urging residents to check Ring cameras for evidence and to report if the dog looks familiar.

Starting next year, Florida’s Dexter’s Law takes effect, creating a public registry of animal cruelty convicts and increasing penalties for certain offenses. The law could empower adoption agencies to better vet potential adopters and allow judges to impose longer sentences for offenders.

ACPS hopes the law and community tips bring justice for Valor. You can submit anonymous information to ACPStipline@coj.net.

Although no real close-up images of the dog were available, ACPS posted an image to social media, generated by artificial intelligence, that shows what he may have looked like while alive.