Dog tied down with weight now at shelter
By: Kimberly Rusley
Updated: March 20, 2013
Why would someone tie a dog to a chain and put a weight on the end of it? That's what the Caddo Parish Animal Shelter wants to know, after a dog in that situation was found and brought to the shelter.
Pictures are of the dog are spreading like wildfire on the Facebook pages of local dog lovers.
The dog was found Tuesday off of Hollywood Avenue in Shreveport, dragging the weight down the street.
"We've never seen a weight on a chain, but we've seen big car chains, and stuff like that tied to animals that may break away or get out of the fence," says Everett Harris, Director of the Caddo Animal Shelter.
Harris said sadly, this kind of thing is common.
"Now, it doesn't make sense to you know, the normal person that's a dog lover, but to somebody that's trying to keep their dog in the back yard, may attach the dog to some sort of device like that; a weight or a tire or something like that, may chain it to a car," says Harris.
The mixed breed dog looks to be in good health, but he's scared when people come around.
Cynthia Keith, who's behind the initiative to get a dog park in Shreveport, says as a dog lover this breaks her heart.
"As a dog lover, we hate to hear things like that, and we just wonder how many more things are going on out there that we are not aware of," says Keith.
Keith adds this incident highlights the need for dog education in the community.
"You need to exercise responsibility," says Keith. "If you get a dog, you need to know the laws. You need to know what you can and can't do. And you need to give the dog the best life possible."
Harris says the dog will be checked out by a veterinarian, and held for four days if the owner doesn't come forward. He can be adopted at that point.
If the owner does come to claim the dog, there will be some questioning.
The director of the shelter said the owner of the stray dog isn't necessarily facing any fines right now, until they find out why the dog was chained to a weight.
Mr. Harris also wants to remind people that even though you want to be a Good Samaritan and help stray dogs, it's best to call them first before trying to pick them up.
Although they may be friendly at first, he points out you don't know their history.
