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BURLINGTON — Yadira Arzola just wants to know why someone would want to take her dog and kill it.

She said that's what happened last week, and she's hoping that Burlington police can do something about it.

Arzola realized at about 7 p.m. Wednesday that one of her teacup poodles was missing. She thought that her sister might have taken 5-year-old Princess when she left earlier in the day and when she found out that wasn't the case, she began searching the neighborhood for the dog.

Princess was on medication for back problems and couldn't move very well. Earlier in the day, Princess was out in her yard with another teacup poodle, Baby, but no one had seen Princess since.

Arzola said she called the police Wednesday night because she thought the dog was taken from her yard.

"The whole night I couldn't sleep," Arzola said.

At 10:30 a.m. Thursday, an animal control officer from Burlington Animal Services showed up at her door because a dog matching her poodle's description was found dead on Rainey Street, which is near where Arzola lives.

On Wednesday night, a woman reported to police that she watched someone in a burgundy sports utility vehicle drop two dogs in the road: a pincher and a teacup poodle. The person then allegedly tried to run over both dogs. The pincher got away, but the poodle, later identified as Princess, was killed.

"Mine couldn't run because she was sick," Arzola said.

The woman who witnessed the incident asked her neighbor to follow the SUV and get a license tag number. That information was provided to police. Arzola also filed a report on Thursday evening.

"It was reported and investigated," said Burlington police Staff Sgt. Brett Currie. "The witness who saw it happen gave us a tag number and description of the vehicle."

An officer went to the address but as of yet has been unable to locate the vehicle or registered owner at the residence.

"Officers went by the address on several occasions, and the vehicle wasn't there when they attempted to locate it," Currie said.

He said the case is now going to be assigned to the detective division to be investigated further.

Arzola doesn't understand why anyone would want to take her dog let alone hurt it. She is hoping to get some answers.

"I don't think I have any problems with anyone," she said. "If it was you, wouldn't you want to know who killed your dog and why they did it? At this point, I am very desperate to find out who did this to my dog and why, mainly for the person to pay for the crime."

Anyone with information about the incident can contact Burlington Police Department at 336-229-3500 or Crime Stoppers at 336-229-7100.