Note left with puppy abandoned in cage on side of the road: ‘Take care of him’
NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN/Gray News) - A puppy was found in a cage on the side of the road in North Carolina with only a bag of food and a note asking for someone to take care of him.
New Bern Animal Control received a phone call Monday from a person stating they found a puppy in a cage next to an overpass near the Books-A-Million parking lot. When animal control officer Kevin Bahr arrived at the scene, he told WITN it left him speechless.
“To leave an animal like that on the side of the road, especially in the summer in the heat like that ... There was no water in the cage, just a bag of food. It’s not the right thing to do,” Bahr said.
The puppy was left in the cage overnight, according to a Facebook post by the Craven County Sheriff’s Office’s Animal Protective Services division.
A note was left on the cage that reads, “Please take me... I’m a 12-week hound. I don’t bite. Take great care of him. He has food with him.”
The puppy is now at the Craven-Pamlico Animal Services Center waiting to be adopted and find a new home.
Dog owners in the area were in disbelief when hearing the news.
“I can’t imagine why anyone would just abandon a puppy, especially in a cage. We have services to take unwanted animals. It’s just reckless. I hope they find who did this,” resident Matthew Nelson said.
Bahr said that abandoning an animal in North Carolina is considered a Class 2 misdemeanor with fines of up to $1,000. Depending on the severity of the animal’s condition, animal cruelty charges can be made, and suspects could face jail time.
Bahr said that people should plan ahead if they decide to adopt or otherwise keep a pet.
“If you can’t take care of an animal, don’t take an animal in. Just because the puppy or kitten looks cute, they’re going to grow up. That’s at least 10 to 15 years of responsibility that you have there. If you don’t have the time, don’t do it,” Bahr said.
Those who have an animal they can’t care for can contact police, animal protective services or the animal shelter.
Copyright 2024 WITN via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.