Kennesaw animal rescue van vandalized
Kennesaw police are searching for a vandal after a purple Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue van was targeted with graffiti for the second time this year, causing up to $7,000 in damage.
KENNESAW, Ga. – A Kennesaw animal rescue is working with police after someone covered its van in black spray paint. This is the second time this year the shelter was targeted.
Kennesaw animal rescue vandalism
What we know:
Surveillance video captured a person walking onto the Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue property from the street, pulling out a spray paint can, and covering a van in black paint. The vehicle previously featured the shelter’s logo along with photos of dogs and cats.
Tammy Turley, executive director of Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue, said the vandal walked around to the side of the van away from traffic and sprayed until it was a single blob of paint. Repainting the van will cost several thousand dollars. Turley noted, “that’s money we could be using to save a dog’s life or a cat’s life.” She added, “I don’t understand somebody destroying someone’s property for any reason, but knowing you’re doing it to dogs and cats, it’s just heartless.”
Kennesaw police are investigating the incident and have stepped up patrols in the area. Authorities believe the suspect lives nearby because video showed him walking to the shelter rather than driving.
What we don’t know:
Police have not confirmed the identity of the man shown in the video footage. Investigators are still trying to determine if the suspect is the same individual who vandalized the same van and a larger trailer back in January.
Previous Mostly Mutts damage
The backstory:
In January, both the van and a trailer owned by Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue were covered in graffiti. In both incidents, the individual walked onto the property from the same direction.
Although the face is not clear in the recent surveillance video, the person’s physique appears similar to the suspect from January. The individual also initially appeared to fill in the block letters remaining from the original graffiti. Turley offered an alternative for the vandal, stating, “If he needs something to do, come here and volunteer, save a life. Don’t be out there in the middle of the night, we can put you to work here.”
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX5 reporter Denise Dillon, who conducted live reporting in Kennesaw and interviewed Tammy Turley, executive director of Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue, as well as statements from Kennesaw police.