New York State Police are searching for people responsible for tossing two dogs out of a moving vehicle on an interstate in western New York.
State Police said they saw a tractor-trailer in the left lane of the interstate with no one inside. When they searched the road, they found a driver carrying an injured dog and another following him.
The dog was treated by a K-9 handler who bandaged the injured animal to stop the bleeding, WGRZ reported.
The Broome County Humane Society was contacted and took possession of the dogs, who are believed to be a type of Beagle mix.
The vehicle that the dogs were thrown from was described as an older Dodge Durango, which was described as dirty with rust on the hatch near the bumper area.
“These animals have been through a lot, and people need to understand that this is not OK,” said Amberly Ondria, shelter manager for the Broome County Humane Society, told The Associated Press. “This is not something that should be done.”
State Police said the trucker stopped his rig when he saw the dogs and took them to safety, AP reported.
One dog was named Trooper, after the police officers who helped the animal, and the other was named Adam after the trucker.
Trooper is between 6 and 8 years old, officials said, while Adam is about a year old.
Trooper suffered a compound fracture of his distal radius and ulna on the front right leg that was amputated and a hairline fracture of the ulna on the left front leg, as well as broken ribs and contusions to his lungs and shoulder, the humane society said.
Because of the damage to his left leg, Trooper will require assistance getting around and perhaps even a harness to stabilize him, Ondria said. “He has quite the road to recovery ahead of him,” she said.
Anyone with information about the case is being asked to call the New York State Police at (607)-749-1614.
Other details about the case are not clear.
It notes, “Neglect, or a failure to provide basic needs for an animal, makes up the vast majority of cruelty cases that animal control officers respond to.”
“Neglect often includes hoarding, lack of shelter or veterinary care, tethering and abandonment, as well as other forms of abuse,” the organization said.
To report abuse, it adds, “Call your local animal control agency as soon as possible or dial 9-1-1 if you’re unfamiliar with local organizations. If you make a report of alleged animal cruelty, the responding agency is required to investigate.”
