Possible Animal Abandonment In Colo. Springs
A viewer notified KRDO Newschannel 13 on Facebook about the possible abandonment of two animals along Palmer Park Boulevard Monday morning.
The Facebook post read: ?Just had a woman who is white and driving a dark suv open her car door let out a lab and pitbull and then she drove off! On palmer park which is a very busy street! These dogs are running around everywhere and are going to get hit by someone.?
KRDO Newschannel 13 contacted the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. It said it did not receive any reports of an abandonment or dogs in the area. It asked for anybody with more information to call its dispatch immediately. That number is 719-473-1741, then choose option 1.
The HSPPR told KRDO Newschannel 13 the spring and summer months are very busy, as they see the number of service calls related to strays and abandonment increase between 4 and 5 percent.
?We do see a sharp increase, a dramatic increase in the number of animals we take in and the calls we respond to,? said Joe Stafford, director of animal law enforcement at the Humane Society.
Stafford said he wants people to know they can bring unwanted pets to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region and will face no consequence for doing so.
?Abandoning an animal is not only the wrong thing to do, it?s also illegal. You can be prosecuted for animal cruelty for turning an animal loose,? said Stafford.
According to Stafford, penalties for abandoning an animal can range from fines to jail time.
?We take these matters very seriously, not only because that animal?s welfare could be in question but also because the public safety risk it presents,? said Stafford.
Stafford asks that anybody who witnesses the abandonment of an animal to acquire as much information as possible, such as license plate information and suspect description, so that his team can investigate and prosecute if necessary.
Stafford also wants the community to know that if someone finds and picks up a stray animal, they are then responsible for the animal. If that person decides to return the animal back to the streets, they, too, could face animal cruelty charges.
?The right thing to do is to bring the animal down here to our facility, where we can learn a little bit about the animal and then attempt to find it a new home,? said Stafford.
