SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Police say a dog was found drowned with a bowling ball tied to it in a Northern California river and they’re looking for a suspect.

The Sacramento Bee (http://bit.ly/1rwsxvP) reports Sunday that the 12-year-old border collie named Zelda was found in the American River with a leash on its collar tied to a bowling bag with a ball and a rock inside.

Sacramento City Animal Care Manager Gina Knepp says the dog had a microchip that was traced to a Sacramento woman. She told them she’d put the dog in the care of 47-year-old William Meek, who is now being sought as an animal cruelty suspect.

Knepp says Meek told the woman he surrendered the dog to a shelter.

She says a necropsy showed it died from drowning and had neck trauma from the struggle.

___

Information from: The Sacramento Bee, http://www.sacbee.com

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.