Below is an edited press release from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office:

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is asking for the public's help today in locating a possible suspect in a potential rape case involving a young dog.

Maricopa Co. Sheriff Office

1 year-old dog thought to be a victim of rape.

According to detectives in the Sheriff's animal cruelty unit, a one-year-old male Jack Russell Terrier was dropped off to a north valley animal hospital located in the 17,000 block of North 82nd Street late yesterday with injuries associated with anal rape.

Deputies arranged for a rape kit to be administered on the animal. Results are currently being tested at a local lab. The supervising veterinarian told sheriff detectives that among the dog's various injuries were consistent with rape.

Sheriff deputies say the dog suffered other injuries including what are thought to be chemical burns to the insides of both ears.

According to the detectives investigation, minutes before the dog was brought into the clinic, a nearby neighbor saw a man described as 5 foot 8 inches tall, with a tan skin tone and dark hair who was driving a late 60's to mid 70's reddish-brown pickup with a dual exhaust system. The neighbor said the driver was acting suspiciously, lingering nearby and carrying a small light red animal carrier before he sped away. Ten minutes later, the injured terrier was found on the street.

"We'd like to find the driver of this truck," Sheriff Arpaio says. "We're fairly certain he knows what happened to this dog and who may be responsible for it."

Arpaio says if his detectives successfully locate the suspect and can criminally prosecute him, this will be the first beastiality case pursued by this Office since Sheriff Arpaio went before the state legislature to support the new anti-beastiality law.