The Dutchess County SPCA is pleading with animal owners not to abandon their pets on their property.
An American bulldog named Lollipop was found abandoned in a shed at the Dutchess County SPCA last month. She was alone and frightened, and whoever owned her dumped her in the middle of the night and ran.
Luckily, receptionist Lori Spano happened to find her the next morning.
What You Need To Know
- A bulldog was recently abandoned at the Dutchess County SPCA in the middle of the night
- She needed emergency surgery because she was carrying puppies and they were all dead in her womb
- The suspects will likely face a misdemeanor charge and could get up to a year in jail and be placed on the animal cruelty registry
- If you are unable to care for your pet, you can surrender them at the SPCA at no cost and with no judgment
“Coming out here was just all luck, finding her, you know, which was thankful for her,” says Spano.
After noticing the bulldog, she and the rest of the team at the SPCA acted quickly to save her life.
“This was a situation where if we did not accidentally stumble upon this dog, she could have died, she would have died,” says DCSPCA Intake Coordinator Carol O’Connell.
The veterinarian examined Lollipop. She needed emergency surgery because she was carrying puppies, and they were all dead in her womb.
“I instantly thought this is a cruelty case,” DCSPCA Officer John Andersen. “The poor thing, was leaking blood and … blood was everywhere.”
Andersen began the investigation to find the people responsible.
“The investigation was kind of hard to begin with because we didn't really have any names, Andersen said.
After some luck and nearly a month of searching, the suspects were found and charged with animal cruelty. Andersen says they will likely face a misdemeanor charge and could get up to a year in jail and be placed on the animal cruelty registry.
If Lollipop died, the charges would have been upgraded to a felony.
“It’s not tolerated in this county, and it's a serious offense,” Andersen said.
Lollipop is recovering with Long Island Bulldog Rescue. They expects her health to improve and she will be available for adoption soon.
The Dutchess County SPCA wants this to be a lesson for the community to know they do not have to abandon their animals.
“We have numerous resources for people. We have a lot of programs for safety for people that are homeless, medical programs for if people need really severe medical help with their pets,” says O’Connell.
If you are unable to care for your pet, you can surrender them at the SPCA at no cost and with no judgment.