Edgewater police are investigating an incident of two unidentified male teenagers seen Friday throwing a puppy like a football near 20th and Otis streets.
The Pekingese was suffering from respiratory problems and had fluid filling its lungs when it was taken to Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital afterward.
The injuries are consistent with having been thrown and grabbed at the neck, said Jamie Petsitis, a spokeswoman at the hospital.
Desirae McGee of Edgewater said she saw two teens throwing something back and forth on the sidewalk near her front yard when she was going to check her mailbox around noon Friday.
As the woman approached the boys, she said she noticed they were throwing an animal and asked them what they were doing, but they didn’t answer.
She then grabbed the puppy, which, at 3 weeks old, is about the length of a writing pen, and they ran away.
“I had never seen them before, and I live there and know pretty much everyone in the neighborhood,” McGee said.
After she took the puppy inside to try to give it food and water, McGee said she took the animal to Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital because it was unresponsive and having difficulty breathing.
Edgewater police operations Cmdr. Mike Marchese said the teens, if they are located, could face a felony charge of animal abuse.
Historically, connections have been drawn between those who abuse animals and those who later commit domestic violence or child abuse, said Norm Renter, chief of investigations for the Dumb Friends League in Denver.
“Cruel acts follow cruel acts,” said Bob Rohde, president of Dumb Friends.
The Dumb Friends League responds to reports of animal abuse and neglect daily for seven counties, including Denver.
“The important thing is for us to be aware of these things as a community,” Renter said. “This is horribly disturbing.”
Staff writer Katherine Crowell can be reached at kcrowell@denverpost.com.
