Since the Harbor Humane Society, an animal shelter based in Michigan, had its fair share of animals dumped in front of their main entrance, they made sure to let people know that this was not okay.

They set a sign that clearly read that animal dumping was not allowed!

“Do not abandon an animal here. Wait until business hours. No fee for bringing an animal to HHS. For the sake of the animal, please be humane,” the sign reads. 

Another one that had the same message on it was placed behind the shelter next to a picnic table where the staff would take their break.  

Usually, these clear signs were respected… until one day.

Heartbreaking Find

When a worker came one morning to open the Michigan shelter, they didn’t notice anything unusual happening in the front of the shelter. However, the same could not be said for the back.

When they came out the back, they noticed a tiny pup tied to the base of the “do not abandon animals” sign. They suspected that the pup was abandoned the night before, and after checking the security cameras, their suspicions were confirmed.

The footage clearly showed that the dog, later named Trixie, was left at around 9 p.m. and wasn’t found until 7:30 a.m. the next morning. This means that she was sitting outside for 11 hours waiting to be rescued.

“Initially, she was nervous and scared, barking at her. But once she crouched down and gave her some time, she quickly warmed up and crawled right into her lap. She has been very friendly ever since!” Jen Nuernberg, director of marketing and strategic initiatives at Harbor Humane Society, told The Dodo.

Spending the whole night all alone did take a toll on Trixie as she kept on wondering why she was no longer with her hoomans.

But, when she met the new hoomans, all was well again. The rescuer immediately rushed her inside, where she warmed up and ate some delicious food.

As the other staff members arrived, they were completely heartbroken when they heard Trixie’s story.

They then ran some tests on this sweet girl, which, thankfully, proved that she was in good health – she was just a bit confused.

“When someone abandons an animal without any information, we are just left to guess. So we can assume she is about 3 to 4 years old, but we don’t know her story, her name, her likes, her favorite treats or toys. This is all information we try to get on animals when they are surrendered to the shelter,” Jen Self Aulgur, executive director at Harbor Humane Society, told The Dodo.

The Michigan shelter employees hope that Trixie’s previous owners will come forward to give some additional information about her before she is adopted, as this information will help them find the perfect home for her.

“This pup deserves to have her story and history known. We do not want to shame or get you in trouble — we just want to help this poor pup,” Self Aulgur said.

For now, Trixie is safe with the loving hoomans who make sure she has everything she needs. After some time passes, she will be available for adoption, but for now, she is enjoying her stay while receiving as many hugs and kisses as her little heart can desire.

Final Word

This story is the perfect example of why you should not abandon your pets.

While living with you, your pets get attached to you and their surroundings, and any sudden change can make them feel extremely anxious.

So, if you are not able to take care of your furry friends anymore, please do not abandon them like this. Take them to your local shelter, introduce them to the staff, and give them a second chance at life.

They deserve it!