Video Shows Dog Being Abandoned on Side of Road ‘At Christmas’

A U.K. animal charity launched an investigation after a dog was abandoned on the side of a road.

The dog, a Staffordshire bull terrier was left on Stoke-on-Trent, England, reported Devon Live on Dec. 24, citing the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). A Staffordshire bull terrier is similar to a pit bull or sometimes is labeled as a pit bull.

CCTV footage shows a man placing the dog and its bed on the pavement at night. The man then unclips the pooch’s lead before running back to his car. Another person is waiting in the driver’s seat as it happens.

The dog then chases the man and circles the car several times before pawing at the windows. The two then drive away.

The footage was captured at 5 p.m. on Dec. 17.

A passerby found the dog sitting in its bed about an hour later before alerting the RSPCA about the dumping incident.

StokeonTrentLive reported the dog is in a safe environment now and was named Snoop by the RSPCA.

“The vets scanned his microchip and we have traced two previous owners in the Birmingham area, but do not believe either are the current owners, and therefore not those responsible for abandoning the dog,” said RSPCA inspector Natalie Perehovsky, reported StokeonTrentLive.

“The footage has to be seen to be believed, it’s just awful. To see the poor dog in such obvious distress jumping up at the car as it drives away it just heartbreaking. I can’t understand how someone could do this,” she added.

Describing the footage, Perehovsky said that a “man can be seen clearly in the footage dumping the dog, and there is a second person in the driver seat of the car.”

She added the dog is “currently being cared for at a private boarding kennels where he will get all the care he needs whilst I investigate further. Anyone who recognizes the vehicle, the dog or the men in the footage can contact me in complete confidence.”

Perehovsky noted the timing of the dumping incident.

“It’s beggars belief that someone could abandon a dog like this at Christmas, but we are so thankful to the kind people who found Snoop sitting sadly in his bed, for taking him to the safety of a vets straight away,” she said.

The RSPCA said more than 10,000 will likely be taken in over the winter in the United Kingdom. Last year, the organization said 55,821 calls were made to its 24-hour cruelty hotline during Christmas.

What to Do if Animal Is Abused?

The Humane Society says “most reported animal cruelty comes in the form of neglect” and less is direct violence. 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.”

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.”