People dumping animals is becoming a growing issue statewide, with several cases occurring just this week.
In Canton, a one-year-old terrier was dumped in a crate along Route 44. He escaped his crate and ran into traffic, suffering a head injury when hit by a car.
He had to undergo emergency surgery to remove his eye, but animal control officers believe he’ll make a full recovery.
“We would just like to understand why this dog was dumped,” said Katie Meskun, animal control officer for Canton and Burlington. “He’s very spunky and very friendly despite having, you know, some pretty significant injuries.”
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In Branford, two dogs were dumped this week. One, a senior dog was left in the extreme heat.
In Manchester, two dogs were tied to a pole and left to fend for themselves in the pouring rain.
Desmond’s Army is offering a $5,000 reward that will lead to a prosecution in the Canton case among others.
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“Every shelter, every rescue, every animal control is packed full,” said Linda Pleva from Desmond’s Army. “Animals are definitely … they’re an obligation. They are a responsibility, and if you're not willing to take on that, then don't get any animal.”
Meskun said there are many reasons why people dump their animals, and she’s seen it getting worse over the last two years.
“It could be a myriad of things – somebody that has lost a job, somebody that has moved from a home to an apartment situation,” she said. “The financial aspect of owning a dog has increased greatly. Vet bills, the price of dog food going up…just general things. Everything’s becoming more expensive, so being able to provide proper care for a dog is becoming a lot more difficult.”
She said if you find yourself struggling with a pet, call your local animal control officer or shelter. Even if the shelters are full, they can still help.
“If they can’t help you directly at their shelter, if they’re full, or if they are only open for emergency intakes, they might be able to point you in a direction that could be another rescue group or a temporary foster situation,” Meskun said. “There’s a million different resources out there, you just have to make the phone call. If you make the phone call, then nine times out of ten you won’t need to just dump your dog.”
