The Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the person who killed a dog that washed up on a Barrington Beach.

Officials said that the animal had been shot multiple times. 

The recent grim discovery marked the third time this year that dead dogs have washed ashore on Barrington coastline. 

The first incident was reported on Wednesday, Feb. 28. According to Barrington Police, a person called the station at about 3:20 p.m. after finding the dead dog on a stretch of shoreline near the end of Willow Way. Police described the animal as a small, white cockapoo-type dog.

Police checked with surrounding communities to see if any dogs had been reported missing, but there was nothing reported. 

It happened a second time on March 11. 

According to Barrington Police, a person was walking along a local beach when they spotted a dead dog that had washed up on the sand. 

Police said the dog appeared to have been dead for quite some time. The dog was found on a section of shoreline near the Rhode Island Country Club property. Again, police checked to see if anyone had reported a missing dog in Barrington or any nearby community. Police said a dog had been reported missing in Warwick. 

On Monday, April 8, a third dead dog washed up on a local beach. Barrington Police investigated the situation and coordinated with other area animal control officers and the RISPCA. 

Police ordered a necropsy on the third dead dog found. That examination revealed that the dog had been shot multiple times. 

Police also said none of the dogs had been micro-chipped.