Portsmouth police and Scioto County sheriff’s deputies handled two separate animal welfare complaints involving dogs reportedly abandoned or left without care.
A Woodland Avenue caller contacted Portsmouth police to report that people had moved out of a house and left two dogs inside.
The caller said the dogs had been in the home for about a week with no food or water.
Police determined the complaint was an Animal Control issue and forwarded the information to the Health Department.
Meanwhile, Scioto County sheriff’s deputies responded to Bonser Run Road after a caller reported that a man dropped off a German shepherd in the roadway at the top of a hill.
The caller said her daughter-in-law went to chase the man down, and he came at her with a stick.
Deputies spoke with the caller and with the man accused of abandoning the dog. He denied dropping off the animal, said he had no knowledge of the incident, and claimed there had been no confrontation.
The woman involved asked that the incident be logged.
The caller did find the German shepherd, which had no collar or tags. She said she planned to post the dog on Facebook and, if no one claimed it, take it to the dog shelter.
Abandoning animals or leaving pets behind in a home can quickly become dangerous. Dogs need food, clean water, shelter, and care. A dog left inside a house for days can become dehydrated, sick, frightened, or aggressive. A dog dumped on a road can be hit by a vehicle, attack livestock or pets, or become a danger to itself and others.
Anyone who finds a possibly abandoned dog should avoid chasing or confronting the person believed to be responsible. Instead, get a vehicle description, plate number if possible, location, time, photos or video from a safe distance, and call law enforcement, Animal Control, or the dog shelter.
If the animal appears injured, trapped, overheated, starving, or without water, report it right away and explain why it may be an emergency.