A dog and 10 puppies abandoned in Clarksville, Tennessee, are being cared for today by the Montgomery County Animal Care and Control center.
According to News Channel 5 in Nashville, surveillance video caught this heartbreaking act on camera. In the middle of the night, a man in an SUV pulled up outside the shelter. He removed a pair of plastic Rubbermaid containers filled with puppies from the vehicle. Then, an adult dog jumped out of the SUV, as if trying to stay close to her babies. Finally, the man got back in the car and left. The dog, confused, chased after her owner as he sped away.
“Here she is thinking she’s going somewhere with her owner, and he’s leaving without her, and now she’s confused not knowing why she’s here or why he hasn’t come back,” Dave Kaske, the director of the shelter, told the news outlet.
In a Facebook post, the shelter shared that the mother dog, named Gaia, “is the sweetest girl and a great momma.” The organization also said “she is now resting comfortably in the shelter.”
The shelter is in the process of searching for the owner of the canine family, but there’s no word on the status of that search. If the owner is not found, the shelter said it will transfer the pups to a foster home or rescue.
Never abandon your dog
It is unclear whether the irresponsible dog owner will be charged with any crime. According to lawyers.com, in Tennessee “unreasonably abandoning an animal in one’s custody (abandonment includes deserting an animal or failing to make arrangements for its care for more than one day)” is a form of animal abuse and a criminal offense.
This sad story serves as a cautionary tale, and provides several important reminders to all pet owners.
Firstly, always spay or neuter your pets. It’s the best way to prevent unintentional litters of puppies. Most people can barely care for one puppy, much less a litter of them.
Secondly, if you’re struggling to provide for your pets, reach out to your local Humane Society, rescue groups, or shelters. Resources are available to help dog owners who need financial assistance, behavioral help, or veterinary care for their pups.
Finally, if you must surrender your dog, do so lovingly and safely with these tips.
Whatever you do, never abandon your dog. Doing so is dangerous and traumatic for your pets, and could even be fatal for them. No matter how dire the circumstances, say goodbye to your pets in a humane way and set them up for the best life possible with their next owner.
Wondering why someone would abandon a dog and her puppies like this? Sure, they might just be heartless. Or, they might have done so because of one of these common reasons people cite for surrendering their dogs.
