Investigators are asking for help to find the person who left a dog locked in a cage at the water’s edge to drown.

A 1-year-old pit bull was found by a nearby resident who was walking their dog at 6:15 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park.

Their dog alerted to the cage, which was on a small portion of sand between a bulkhead and the water and had reached the cage, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said.

Investigators believe the dog was placed there between 4 and 6 a.m., based on the tide schedule.

The dog was taken to the Highlands Police Department, which called animal control.

"If not for the heroic rescue act of the good Samaritan, the dog could have potentially drowned," the county prosecutor's office said in a statement on Facebook.

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In this file photo from October 2024, Atlanta Braves outfielder Jorge Soler and teammates react after losing to the San Diego Padres 5-4 in San Diego. The Braves and Soler, who now plays for the Los Angeles Angels, face a lawsuit by a fan injured at a 2021 World Series game at Truist Park in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com