DENVER — A severely sick dog who was abandoned at the Denver Animal Shelter died just hours later. Now investigators are asking for the community's help in finding the person who dropped off the animal.
According to an alert from Metro Denver Crime Stoppers, a man driving a silver Honda Odyssey minivan with black wheels arrived at the shelter during the early morning hours of Jan. 21 and carried a white and brown American bulldog to the shelter's after-hours kennel.
"Then once it was found by our animal care attendant in our night drop kennel, they determined that the dog was what we'd like to refer to as laterally recumbent," said Daniel Ettinger, an animal protection officer. "So the dog would not get up, was not mobile and then it just showed signs ... of being lethargic or unable to really move or show signs of having any sort of energy."
Ettinger says the dog died just hours after being dropped off.
"We have some concerns on the condition that the dog was found in, and so it's important that we talk to the individual who brought it to the shelter," he said.
Denver Animal Protection (DAP) wouldn't say exactly how the dog died, but did say if they learn more information, a person could be charged with a crime and face penalties.
"If we determine this to be a crime and there are charges filed on the city level, that person responsible for the dog's death, or the actions leading up to the death or how the dog died, they could be punished up to 300 days in jail and/or $999 in fines," Ettinger said.
DAP says they can share more details on how the dog died once the investigation is closed.
"I would like to talk to the individual who brought the dog in because it ultimately passed away in an unfamiliar place," Ettinger said. "It was brought into a place that wasn't its home in the last few hours of its life."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Those with tips can remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward of up to $2,000.