Ingham County Animal Control rescues abandoned puppy

Mason, Mich. (WILX) - In 2020, hundreds of dogs were abandoned and rescued by Ingham County Animal Control, and just a few days into the new year they have already rescued another abandoned dog.

“He was tied to a kennel on the side of the road,” said Director of Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter Heidi Williams.

This male Pitbull puppy found in Southwest Lansing is one of 2021′s first abandonment cases, and it won’t be easy to solve.

“No collar, no name, no microchip. We don’t know who his owner is at this time,” Williams said.

Williams told News 10 this isn’t a surprise, in 2020 Ingham County Animal Control investigated 585 calls for welfare, which includes abandonment.

“We have seen abandonment issues. Unfortunately, it’s part of what we do,” Williams said. “I want to stress to people there is no need to leave your dog like that there is a lot of options for surrendering your dog.”

However, in some cases, these animals are still loved and their families want them back.

“Sometimes they escape owners from the yard or they slip out of their leash, nine times out of ten we reunite the dogs with the owners,” Williams said.

But unfortunately, many others are examples of careless owners who could be charged with crimes.

“This dog was abandoned it’s a pretty clear-cut case of abandonment,” Williams added.

One of the hundreds, officers will be trying to solve this year.

Per the Ingham County Animal Control Shelter, if you have information regarding this puppy and its possible abandonment, please contact the Ingham County Animal Control dispatch line. Information can be given via phone anonymously to 517-676-8376, or via email to reportanimalcruelty@ingham.org. Or, complaints can be given directly to a dispatcher at 517-676-8370 ext 1. Animal abandonment is a serious offense and will be investigated by Ingham County Animal Control Officers.

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