CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. – No one has claimed the pit bull dog found tied up near a Chesterfield veterinary clinic last week. The dog was tied down tightly for hours with no food nor water.
Because no one has come forward, Chesterfield Animal Control officials said the dog will be put up for adoption after a holding period. Police said they think someone with good intentions may have found a stray dog and left it at the clinic, but they said leaving the dog in that condition was against the law.
“She was tied really tight down here,” said veterinarian assistant Jennifer Coleman.
She says it wasn’t a good start to the work week opening up the Brandermill Animal Hospital after Monday’s holiday.
She heard barking and yelping coming from the back of the building.
“She was left with no food or water,” Coleman said. “I went to approach her and she was clearly stressed out.”
Coleman said she tried to calm the pit bull down, but with no luck.
She said she had to call Animal Control because she didn’t want the dog to suffer in Tuesday’s temperature, which hit around 90 degrees.
“You can’t leave a dog on a small leash without food or water,” said Jason Zaccarine, Captain Chesterfield police.”To leave an animal without food or water is a class three misdemeanor in Virginia.”
Police admit the odds of finding who dropped this dog off and tied it to the bench are slim to none.
However, they do hope stories like this will educate the public that if they’re thinking of abandoning their pets, there are better options than breaking the law.
“If people fall on hard times we can put them in touch with the Chesterfield Humane Society and they’ll provide food, collars and beds to get them through the stress so there’s no separation,” Zaccarine said.
