A KAMC and EverythingLubbock.com viewer shared a video clip Wednesday showing one adult with two kids abandoning a dog Sunday morning at 50th Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard.
Lubbock Animal Services is aware of this incident and said this sort of thing happens too often. Kia Riemath, Assistant Director of Lubbock Animal Services said “It infuriates me that people take this animal home to be, ‘a part of your family’ and once it gets not as cute, they just dump it.”
“These animals get used to food and water every day, and when they get dumped they don’t know what they’re supposed to be doing,” Riemath added.
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Even those who can’t adopt can help Mardi, the Humane Society is accepting donations for his veterinary care or dog supplies.
The person who took the video (who wished to remain anonymous) said the dog hung around the area for three days. The person who took the video then asked for help in taking care of the dog.
“We were tagged on Facebook and whenever we see dumped dogs on Facebook, we of course want to go get them,” explained Angie Skinner who works with several organizations to foster stray dogs. So we went to check the situation out, the business owner let us onto the property, we spent a while trying to get him and we were finally able to get him.” Skinner said she was glad someone had taken the video of the incident.
Skinner went Tuesday to pick up the dog (who they’ve since named Mardi because he was found during Mardi Gras). She waited for over six hours to get trap the dog and take it home safely. Skinner explained that Mardi was scared at first, but has warmed up into a very affectionate demeanor.
Skinner has given the dog over to another foster mom, Kaylea Talbott who will help tag-team in keeping him healthy. Mardi will soon be up for adoption at the Humane Society.
“I was just sad overall,” said Talbott of the abandonment. “I was sad that someone would do that and to make it worse that someone would do that with their children.”
“People need to know that when they purchase a dog, you purchase a dog it’s for the dog’s whole life, not just until they’re tired of it,” said Talbott.
Mardi is getting lots of social time and will be getting shots, neutering and microchipping. Those who are interested in taking him home can contact the Humane Society of West Texas by calling (806)799-7387 to fill out an application.
“Spend a lot of time with him, get him comfortable and show him it’s possible to be loved again
“Of course we always need people to help us foster, because the more fosters we have the more dogs we can rescue because all of our dogs stay in homes, if someone wants to help out Marti we can always need donations, dog food, dog beds, money to help with vet bills and care and shots, really anything anyone can do,” said Talbott.
Lubbock Police explained that in Texas, abandoning a non-livestock animal is a Class A misdemeanor under the Texas Penal code. If the person abandoning the animal has been convicted more than once, the penalty would increase to a state jail penalty. Lubbock Police are actively looking into this case.
The person who provided the surveillance video said they’ve filed a police report, so anyone with information can call either LAS or Crime Line at 806-741-1000.
If you have an animal that you cannot take care of, LAS said you can bring it to a shelter or call 806-775-2700 to drop it off at LAS.
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