Colorado family's dog found beaten to death near property line

MILLIKEN, Colo. -- A Weld County family is demanding answers after their rescue dog was reportedly found beaten to death Tuesday morning.

John Pipe owns Riverside Truck and Auto off County Road 46, where his three dogs roam freely during work hours.

He said that Monday night when he went to head home, their 10-year-old Irish Wolfhound Cody never returned.

"We thought maybe he just had some sort of accident," Pipe said. "So we spent some time searching, and we searched into the night Monday until dark."

Tuesday morning, they found Cody's body about 10 feet off of their property, where he had reportedly been beaten to death.

Pipe said they found Cody's collar wrapped around a nearby pipe, like a trophy.

"It's sickening and I just don't understand it," Pipe said. "It's just sickening."

The Pipes took Cody's body to the Milliken Animal Clinic, where an autopsy shows doctors believe he died of foul play, with signs of trauma across his upper body.

Weld County Sheriff's Deputies said that since the family moved the body, they were unable to obtain much evidence from the area the body was found.

No suspects have been identified.

The dog's body was found on Cliff Betz's property, a few hundred feet from his home.

"You feel like you've been invaded or violated," he said. "It's kind of like somebody breaking into your home, but you can't be watching everywhere all the time."

"It's been tragic on the family," Pipe said. "Going home and explaining to your son that (Cody) isn't coming home tonight."

Seven-year-old Marek Pipe said Cody would often spend the night in his room. The dog had been there since he was born.

"He was a good dog," Marek said. "You wouldn't imagine him running away or anything. He was a really good dog."