When an extreme cold front collapsed the electrical grid in Texas, millions of people were left without heat or power to keep them warm.
But while many kind souls have stepped up to feed and clothe their neighbors, not everyone has shown such selfless concern. In Houston, authorities were forced to arrest a man who inexplicably left his 8 dogs outside to fend for themselves in the record cold.
Fortunately, a worried neighbor saw the dogs’ desperate plight and called the Harris County Animal Cruelty Taskforce, which has been busy rescuing animals throughout this brewing disaster. When rescuers arrived at the scene, they discovered the dog owner was keeping his pets outside in the storm without any access to shelter. The freezing, neglected dogs were also extremely malnourished. One pup even suffered from a broken jaw.
The dogs were rushed to Houston Humane, where rescuers gave them food, warmth, and emergency medical care. Thankfully, the dogs survived this terrifying ordeal, although rescuers warned the animals aren’t yet out of danger.
“Although warm, some of the dogs remain in critical condition and we will provide updates as they come,” the Houston Humane Society wrote on Facebook. “Unfortunately, we expect more pets in need to walk through our doors as Harris County Animal Cruelty Taskforce law enforcement officers continue working day and night to check on any pets left outside in dangerous conditions throughout this winter weather situation.”
The dogs’ owner has been arrested and charged for this cruel abuse. Without the timely intervention of a worried bystander, these dogs would almost certainly have been counted in the storm’s growing death toll. Please contact Harris County Animal Cruelty Taskforce at 832-927-PAWS without delay if you see an animal in need of help.
