Hearts shattered after a Michigan animal shelter shared a video showing someone leaving a puppy outside the kennel’s doors in freezing temperatures.
The Calhoun County Animal Center in Michigan discovered a 16-week-old puppy dumped at the facility in freezing and snowy conditions on the morning of February 19. When looking back at the CCTV footage, a car drove into the parking lot and took the dog out. The dog sniffed around, unaware of what was about to unfold before him.
The person dragged the pup by the leash around the lot, which the animal shelter cut out in the Facebook post on February 20. The rest of the incident’s video showed the person getting back into the car and driving off. The dog, previously named Tiger, stood and watched as his owner left.
The animal center took him in and quickly learned Tiger was a “sweetheart.” He, thankfully, didn’t need to stay long in their care as he was adopted shortly after and renamed to Jack.
The pup’s new owner, Laura Ostrom, told Newsweek via email that he has been adjusting “very well” to his new home. He’s been healing with the family’s other recent rescue, Raylan who was found in a small crate abandoned in a field.
“[Raylan] has fully recovered and is a happy little boy and a wonderful friend to our new puppy, Jack,” she said.
The Ostrom family now owns five dogs, which to them is not many. This is “their place” and they are “their people.”
Calhoun County Animal Center/Facebook
“I just sobbed when I watched that video and could not understand how an adult could be so heartless toward a dog,” Ostrom said. “I just do not have that sort of concept in my world. Dogs are everything to me and animal cruelty is something I disgust.”
Ostrom’s been blown away by the messages she’s received regarding Jack. The dog’s breeder contacted the family after seeing photos posted by the animal shelter. Through pictures, they confirmed Jack was one of their puppies. She said they were extremely upset to hear what happened. Someone else offered professional training sessions for Jack, which she plans on using.
A representative from the animal center told Newsweek via Facebook that charges were filed against the person who dumped the dog.
Viewer Reactions
The video, which amassed over 164,000 views and 2,200 reactions, left Facebook users heartbroken. They couldn’t wrap their heads around someone leaving a dog in those conditions.
“May Karma repay him many times over,” one person said.
Another added: “WOW. Thankful law enforcement is involved! This is sickening! What must’ve been going thru this poor baby’s head breaks my heart.”
Trying to stay positive, a third user wrote: “The silver lining is the dog wasn’t dumped out in the country to fend for itself, and will now be on its journey to a forever home.”