Shelter Saves Abandoned Dog Left Tied to Pole in 'Freezing' Va. Weather, Asks Pup's Former Owner to 'Do Better'
A rescue dog is safe and warm after being abandoned in Virginia's recent cold snap.
On Friday, Jan. 17, Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC) shared on social media that the pup — a black male pit bull mix, the shelter confirmed to PEOPLE — had been discovered tied to a bus pole by a leash and left in dangerous weather the night before.
"To the person who left their dog tied to the bus line pole in the freezing cold last night. Do better. 🤬," the shelter posted on Facebook.
"To the kind citizen who called Richmond Animal Care and Control to help. Thank you. ♥️ #weareyourcityshelter," they added.
RACC shared the information alongside two photos of the dumped dog; one shows the canine along and abandoned by the side of the road in the dark, and the other features a smiling RACC staff holding the pup following his rescue.
Related: 40-Lb. Rescue Cat Patches Down 15 Pounds One Year After His Adoption – See the Transformation! (Exclusive)
Per local ABC-affiliated station WRIC, the dog was left "near the intersection of Chambers Street and Bowen Street in the city's Southside."
RACC spokesperson Christie Chipps-Peters told PEOPLE in an email that the dog is now "doing great" after his rescue. "We are investigating the case," she added.
Virginia law states, "No person shall abandon or dump any animal. Violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor."
Per the National Weather Service, some areas of Richmond reached a low of 13 degrees on the night the pup was likely left out in the cold.
The latest rescue comes after Chipps-Peters urged people to stop abandoning animals while speaking to NBC-affiliated station WWBT in September 2024.
Related: Florida Animal Shelter Team Drives Across America to Rescue 78 Dogs from L.A. Fires and Texas Freezing Temperatures
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She explained that after an abandoned pet or stray is picked up off the street, there is a "holding period" at the open-admission shelter during which the animal cannot be available for adoption to leave time for the original owner to claim the pet.
"The shelter should be your absolute last resort. It's stressful, we euthanize, we don't want your pet there," the spokesperson said, per the outlet. Owners looking to rehome a pet should seek out no-kill rescues for assistance or other options, like family and friends, before surrendering an animal to a kill shelter or abandoning them for animal control to find.
"Pets who have been loved and treated well don't do well in our shelter," Chipps-Peters added, according to the station.
The Richmond pup isn't the only dog abandoned in freezing weather over the several weeks of winter; as PEOPLE reported, a 2-year-old Bichon Frisé was found by maintenance workers in a dumpster at the Glenwood Apartments in Old Bridge, New Jersey, on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Additionally, KC Pet Project rescued a caged dog left abandoned on the streets of Kansas City, Missouri, during a blizzard. The dog is now "living her best life" while she waits for a forever home.
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