Police investigate attack on high school mascot

LAS VEGAS - Kidnapping another team's mascot is usually done in fun, but police say what happened to an English bulldog went too far.

''Blu'' was stolen from his owner's backyard and forced to fight another dog. The bleeding dog was then left chained to a stake on the 50-yard line of a high school football field.

Police said Thursday that ''numerous'' people were involved in kidnapping Blu and watching the dog fight, and students from an opposing high school are believed to have orchestrated the attack.

''It's horrid,'' said Sue Clark, whose 17-year-old daughter Tiffany, a senior at Centennial High School, owns Blu.

The 20-month-old Blu was taken from the Clarks' back yard late Sept. 27. A staff member at Centennial High School in northwest Las Vegas found the injured dog the next morning.

She was on the 50-yard line chained to a stake stuck into the ground so she couldn't get away. The field's sprinklers had soaked her and a Mojave High School T-shirt was tangled in the chain.

Food and water were within the dog's reach, but the water dish had been tipped over.

Blu had several bite marks on her left ear, neck and shoulder. A bite under her left ear punctured her ear drum, Clark said.

Las Vegas police Capt. Rick Bilyeu said police believe Blu was stolen by several Mojave High School students and then taken to Raul Elizondo Elementary School, where the dog was forced to fight a pit bull.

The injured dog was then taken to Centennial's football field, Bilyeu said.

Blu lost a lot of blood and initially wasn't expected to survive, Bilyeu said.

Bilyeu said five or six people were expected to be arrested late Thursday and more arrests will come next week.

Police think 15 to 25 people may have watched the dog fight.

Those involved, including students and adults, face various charges including felonies of cruelty to animals and theft and misdemeanors of maiming an animal, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and watching a dog fight.

''We are looking at serious crimes,'' he said. ''I'm very concerned and disturbed at this type of conduct.''

Blu is recovering from her wounds and isn't allowed to have free roam of the family's back yard anymore.

Her owner hopes she will soon be up to doing her job, attending all varsity games, open houses and school assemblies.

Police are offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrests of those responsible. Students at both high schools are raising money to add to the reward.

Mojave played division opponent Centennial the same evening Blu was found. Centennial won 24-6. Centennial had been winless this season until the Mojave game.

''The boys all told Tiffany, 'We won for Blu,' '' Clark said.