LIHUE — Even a national organization is howling mad. And there’s bite behind its bark. The Humane Society of the United States announced Friday that it’s offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the
LIHUE — Even a national organization is howling mad.
And there’s bite behind its bark.
The Humane Society of the United States announced Friday that it’s offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for abandoning a puppy at the Kapaa Safeway earlier this week.
The nation’s largest animal protection organization based in Maryland offered the reward after reading about the puppy’s plight in the Garden Island on Tuesday.
“This defenseless puppy suffered a terrifying experience. There is absolutely no excuse for an act that could have easily resulted in the death of this puppy,” Inga Gibson, The HSUS’ Hawaii state director, said in a press release. “We hope that this reward will bring forward anyone with information about this crime.”
The puppy was found abandoned, tied up in a plastic bag with a rope around its neck, outside the Safeway store in Kapaa. It was found by a vendor, who freed the young dog and took it to store manager Melissa Chipman.
The puppy was lethargic, droopy and having a hard time breathing after being rescued.
“They placed the dog in a Safeway shopping cart outside the store on a sunny Sunday afternoon, and left her to die,” the national organization’s press release states, citing the Garden Island article.
Chipman, though, said Saturday that the puppy was doing fine, jumping, running and playing with other dogs.
“It’s very playful,” she said.
Since the article ran, Chipman said she’s received “plenty” of phone calls from people interested in adopting the young, white-furred, fluffy survivor. But she hasn’t found the right fit quite yet, although a few people were scheduled to stop by this weekend to look at the puppy still searching for a home.
As far as the national society offering a reward on the incident that happened on the island, Chipman said she couldn’t be happier.
“That’s wonderful. It should happen. A dog to some people is just like a child,” she said. “They’re breathing, they have eyes— something should happen.”
The Kauai Humane Society is investigating the incident, but could not be reached for comment Saturday afternoon. But KHS Director Penny Cistaro said in the press release that people who can no longer care for their pets should drop them off at the humane society rather than abandon them.
“Both animal abandonment and animal cruelty are illegal and inexcusable,” she said. “Pets depend on people for care and compassion.”
Anyone with information on the case should call the KHS at (808) 632-0610 extension 105.
