Central Valley woman accused of severe animal abuse

FRESNO, Calif. -- Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for the maximum punishment against a woman accused of animal abuse.

Madera Police say Ana Zarco turned over a small dog, now known as Harry, to the local animal shelter on June 16. His muzzle was wrapped with rubber bands that cut into his skin. He was thirsty, starving, and needed 50 stitches to repair the damage.

Zarco claimed she had found the dog in a local park, but investigators recently determined she had him for two months. They say one of her young children was to blame for the rubber bands.

Mara Franz, a veterinarian, said, "It's unfathomable that anyone could do something like that to a puppy."

She calls it a terrible case of animal abuse that likely lasted two to three days. She said, "My guess is that they did it because he was being nippy or yapping."

Franz says it took an hour of surgery to remove the rubber band, two layers of stitches, and a day of rest to save Harry.

"To see him up, jumping around, acting like a puppy, and being a normal puppy again, is just so rewarding; it's why I do my job," Franz said.

It's not quite a happy ending, but rather, a new beginning for Harry. His wounds should heal and he'll be ready for adoption soon.

The Madera Police Department is now requesting animal abuse and neglect charges against Zarco. More than 975 people have signed a petition through Change.org. It's set to be delivered to Madera County officials on Monday.

Click here for more images from the Madera Police Department.

ABC30 reporter Joe Ybarra contributed to this story.