The Solano County Sheriff’s Office, Animal Control Bureau has arrested a Vallejo resident for throwing a puppy into a trash can and leaving it for dead. The puppy is alive and being nursed back to health by our Animal Care Services.
On August 18th, an employee of a gas station called Animal Control to report that a customer had found a small dog in a garbage dumpster. Our ACO arrived shortly after the call came in and immediately checked on the puppy. The puppy appeared to be a very young French Bulldog and unfortunately it was unresponsive.
The officer checked for signs of life and was able to determine the puppy was alive, but barely.
The puppy was taken to a local veterinarian office and was stabilized; however, its condition had not improved. The puppy was then taken to Solano County Sheriff’s Office Animal Care Division where it continues to get the medical help it desperately needs. Today, the dog is doing better and continuing to improve.
The puppy will remain with our Animal Care staff.
Our ACO then turned their attention to the investigation into what happened. Using the gas station surveillance cameras, it was determined when this puppy was thrown away and the person responsible for doing so. This person had come to the gas station to get gas, and while there they dropped off a tied plastic grocery bag into the garbage dumpster. At the time, nothing seemed suspicious.
A few hours later a second customer was seen throwing items into the garbage dumpster, but something caught their attention. This customer then pulled the garbage bag out of the dumpster and ripped it open, revealing the puppy inside. They then alerted the gas station attendant who called Animal Control.
Our ACO was able to locate the person responsible and contact them at their residence in Vallejo. They admitted to throwing the puppy away because they thought it was either dead or dying. They said the puppy had recently gotten diarrhea and was “just dying.” They admitted to never attempting to seek veterinary care for the puppy.
This person was arrested for felony animal cruelty, willfully abandoning an animal and for violating his misdemeanor probation. He was booked into Solano County Jail.
