Two Sharon residents have been charged with burning and abandoning a 1-year-old mixed breed dog named Chance.
Raelynn Van Tassel, 23, and Shannon Clarke, 34, both of 1287 Baldwin Ave., now face animal cruelty charges.
Sharon police reports state Clarke is accused of inflicting chemical burns over two-thirds of Chance's body, causing severe lesions and ulcerations.
Both then kept the dog in a basement for several days without medical treatment before abandoning him in the street, said reports. The dog also had three broken teeth and a laceration to its mouth.
According to police, on April 10 an officer on patrol found the dog in the North Flats area of Sharon. It had large, open wounds and burns on its body and head. The Mercer County Humane Society took Chance to a local veterinarian for treatment after an off-duty Sharon firefighter took care of him until they arrived.
The Mercer County District Attorney's office and the humane society conducted the investigation.
Chance is expected to recover and has been adopted.
