Saugus Woman Charged In Dog's Death At Revere Beach

REVERE, MA — State Police and the Animal Rescue League are investigating the death of a dog at Revere Beach Sunday. Troopers were called to the area of the Shirley Avenue Bathhouse for a report of an injured dog around noon and found lifeguards and Revere firefighters trying to resuscitate a small Chihuahua mix who was in "severe medical distress," a State Police spokesperson said.

Efforts to save the dog were unsuccessful. The dog's owner, a 57-year-old Saugus woman, told troopers the dog suddenly became stricken and drowned when she took it into the water, State Police said.

The woman was allowed to leave with the dog's body; however, several beach-goers told troopers they saw her abusing the dog before it died, police said.

The woman will be summonsed on animal cruelty charges. State Police and the ARL retrieved the dog's body Monday morning from its co-owner, a Chelsea man, and will continue to investigate the incident.