Officers are investigating to determine whether someone stabbed a 10-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel to death and then skinned it, according to a Denton County Sheriff’s Office report.

The grieving owners of the dog reported finding their mutilated pet Wednesday.

A veterinarian called authorities to report the incident after the mutilated animal was brought to her office to determine what might have happened, according to the report. The vet said she believed the dog had been stabbed at least once, and then the fur coat was cut from its body.

The owners said they let the dog, which was nearly deaf, out of their house — in the 700 block of Oak Shores Drive in the Cross Roads area — into the yard along with their three other dogs. The owners have an invisible electric fence that keeps the dogs in the area, they said. Later they discovered that the spaniel, “Bonny,” was missing and began to search for him.

The wife found what she believed to be the body of the dog in some nearby woods. She called for her husband, who thought wild animals had killed the dog, according to the report. He asked a family friend to bury the dog because he was too upset about losing the family pet to do it, and the friend asked if he could take the remains to a veterinarian to determine its cause of death, according to the report.

Detective Sgt. Roger Griggs said Thursday that an investigation is continuing. The possibility exists that animals actually killed the dog, he said. No large wild animals have recently been seen in the vicinity, he said.

Other reports

600 block of East Hickory Street — A woman reported to Denton police Wednesday that someone she doesn’t know has been sending her harassing e-mails containing personal information since May 7.

The victim said the e-mail is from a woman who calls her obscene names and threatens to tell her former husband that nude pictures of the victim can be found online. The victim said she is in a child custody battle with her former husband, and the woman knows that and also knows other personal information about her. The woman says the victim is not a fit mother and should lose her children, according to the report.

Roundup

From 7 a.m. Wednesday to 7 a.m. Thursday:

• Denton police responded to 314 service and officer-initiated calls, including 10 thefts, one criminal mischief, one vehicle burglary, one assault, two reports of harassment, two burglaries and one sexual assault of a child.

• Denton County sheriff’s dispatchers handled 253 service and officer-initiated calls for the agencies they serve. Forty-three people were booked into county jail. Deputies took reports of one credit card abuse, one cruelty to an animal, one escape, one criminal mischief, one assault and four thefts.

• Denton firefighters responded to 19 medical reports, two smoke investigations, one request for public service, three requests to assist an invalid, two gas leaks, two traffic accidents, one alarm and one false report.

Aubrey firefighters responded to one request to unlock a vehicle, one smoke investigation, one illegal burn and one hazardous materials release.

Krum firefighters responded to one medical call and one request to assist a citizen.

Lake Cities firefighters responded to one medical call, one traffic accident and one grass fire.

Argyle firefighters responded to four medical calls.

Pilot Point firefighters responded to two medical calls and one locked vehicle.

Sanger firefighters responded to one traffic accident and one illegal burn.

DONNA FIELDER can be reached at 940-566-6885. Her e-mail address is dfielder@dentonrc.com .

Denton County Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in these or other crimes. Callers will remain anonymous. Call 1-800-388-TIPS (8477). To receive crime alerts in your area, visit www.CrimeWeb.net .