Updated: Dog returned to owner after being abandoned at Central Kentucky animal shelter
The dog that was tossed over a fence and abandoned at the Clark County Animal Shelter was returned to its owner on Monday.
The animal shelter said the man seen on camera tossing the dog over the fence returned to the animal shelter and explained what happened. He said he suffered a medical event and needed someone to watch his dog, and that a friend stood him up after previously agreeing to watch the dog.
He went to the animal shelter, thinking the dog would be safe in the fence. The animal shelter said the man was shocked and embarrassed when confronted by the staff.
The animal shelter spoke with the man for over two hours and verified his story before ultimately deciding to return the dog to him. The animal shelter said the dog had veterinarian records and was very happy and healthy.
“We don’t expect everyone to agree or understand why this decision was made but we also know everyone didn’t see what we saw or the (situation’s) entirety and we stand by that decision,” the animal shelter wrote in a Facebook post. “We make all decisions with the best interest of the animal in mind.
“No one is dismissing that bad choices were made but now this man goes away understanding how to better handle things and hopefully so will others.”
Earlier Monday the animal shelter said staff arrived to the facility around 9:45 p.m. Sunday and found a medium-sized pit bull abandoned at the facility. Surveillance footage showed an individual throwing the dog over the fence.
The animal shelter said the individual was in and out of the property in under two minutes and made no attempt to contact staff. The staff also received no emails or messages about abandoning a pit bull.
Surveillance footage also showed clear images of the individual’s face and license plate, according to the animal shelter.
This story was originally published August 22, 2022 at 12:59 PM.
