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Police in Griffith, Indiana, are asking for help in an animal abandonment investigation after a dog was found abandoned hours after a man asked a no-kill shelter to euthanize it.
Griffith police said that on October 4, a man arrived at the Griffith Animal Shelter on 100 block of North Wood Street and asked for the dog to be euthanized because he was "aggressive."
Just hours later, the same dog was found tied to a fence with a leash, and security footage nearby captured the person suspected of abandoning the dog.
Local law enforcement is now actively seeking the help of the community, urging anyone with information that may help them identify the suspect to come forward.
In a post on their Facebook page, Griffith Police Department wrote: "We are requesting public assistance in identifying the individual captured on nearby security camera footage or the owner of the pictured dog, who is believed to be the suspect responsible for these actions."
Newsweek reached out to Griffith Police Department via email for comment.
Each year, 6.3 million pets are surrendered to U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet 'Shelter Watch Report' found. Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
Of shelters in the U.S., statistics suggest that around 52 percent are "kill" shelters, while the remaining 48 percent are "no kill" shelters, meaning they do not euthanize animals for reasons other than severe medical of behavioral animals.
In most states in the U.S. it is illegal to abandon an animal, considered a misdemeanor in the first degree. Additionally, federal animal cruelty laws in all states require that animal caretakers provide food, water and sometimes including shelter and veterinary care to animals in their care.
Anyone with any information about the footage of the dog and individual captured on security footage has been asked to contact Griffith Detective Carney at 219-924-7503, extension 239.
However, anyone who wishes to maintain their anonymity also has the option to submit tips through the Griffith Police Department anonymous tip hotline at 219-922-3085.
The police department added: "Your contribution, whether named or anonymous, plays a crucial role in our efforts to address this case and prevent similar incidents in the future."
About the writer
Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years ... Read more