Deputies: Rock Hill puppy’s injuries from alleged abuse were actually medical condition

An alleged case of animal abuse in which a puppy was thought to have been burned and cut on his genitals was actually a rare medical condition, according to the York County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies first investigated the alleged abuse at a home on Gordon Road in Rock Hill on April 4. Farley, a 3-month-old beagle-pitbull mix, had injuries around his genital area that the owner and deputies initially thought were the result of someone cutting and burning the dog.

The puppy’s owner said he and his family had left the home for a few hours and returned that evening to find Farley and the other puppies had gotten out of their kennel. Farley was “bleeding profusely” from his genital area, the owner said at the time.

As part of the investigation, deputies sought the advice of a veterinarian, according to Trent Faris, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office. A full medical examination was performed on the puppy, and the veterinarian determined the dog suffered from a condition called paraphimosis. The doctor also told deputies there were no signs of ill treatment on the dog.

Paraphimosis is a condition, often a birth defect, that causes a dog to be unable to retract its penis back into its sheath, according to the petMD website.

The Humane Society had offered a reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.

No charges will be filed, and Faris said that based on the veterinarian’s opinion and interviews by investigators, the case was closed.

This story was originally published April 25, 2016 at 12:04 PM with the headline "Deputies: Rock Hill puppy’s injuries from alleged abuse were actually medical condition."