Members of the Hagerstown Police Department received a report of a woman who stopped her car, removed a kennel with a dog inside, and left it on the sidewalk along the 200 block of West Irvin Avenue.
She then drove off, leaving the dog behind to fend for itself while temperatures were rising across the region.
When officers arrived they said that they could see the dog was in distress due to the heat on Saturday, July 23, a police spokesperson said. There was no water and the crate had no liner or bottom so the dog's paws were directly touching the hot pavement.
Officers immediately removed the dog from the kennel and placed him in a cruiser with air conditioning, according to police, who safely got the animal into the hands of the Washington County Humane Society for safekeeping.
During a thorough investigation, aided by a neighborhood doorbell camera, police were able to identify a suspect, whose name has not been released pending charges being officially filed.
An application for these charges has been submitted by investigators:
- Leaving a dog outside and unattended by the use of a restraint that restricts access to suitable and sufficient clean water or appropriate shelter.
- Depriving necessary sustenance to a dog.
“The quick action of the neighbors and responding officers, saved this dog from serious injury and quite possibly his life,” officials from the department said. “Thanks to the Washington County Humane Society for taking custody and care, (and) doing their own investigation and filing any further appropriate charges.”
Additionally, the Humane Society will be doing their own investigation and filing any further appropriate charges.
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