COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Lying on the sidewalk of a park in Colorado Springs, a young pit bull — not even a year old — spent the night waiting for his owners, who would never return.
"I couldn't believe someone would just come up to a park and push their dog out of a car and leave him," said Carl Anderson, an Air Force veteran who lives across from the park.
On a recent evening, Anderson said he watched a car drop Bruno off in the park. It never came back.
Anderson checked on Bruno that night, but the dog was too nervous to come to him.
The next morning, Bruno was still laying in the same place, but Anderson was able to bring him inside to give him food and water, and eventually called Animal Law Enforcement (ALE).
Bruno's owners were found and are now facing criminal misdemeanors for cruelty to animals.
Bruno was placed in the shelter at the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, but a rescue eventually agreed to take Bruno in and allow Anderson to become his foster home.
"My family's already falling in love with him so it won't be easy passing him on," Anderson said.
Anderson volunteers with Victory Service Dogs, a local nonprofit training dogs to serve first responders and veterans in Colorado Springs.
"From whatever life he left behind unwillingly, to helping make someone else's life better," he said of Bruno's new future.
ALE said if you see an animal being dumped, pay attention to a person's description, the make of a car, and license plate number to call them with information.
If anyone is struggling with their pet for any reason, resources are available to prevent animals from being dumped:
- The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region is available for owner surrenders
- Local rescues (All Breed Rescue and Training, PAWS for Life, No Hound Unhomed, New Hope Rescue, etc.) help find owners resources they may need
- Colorado Pet Pantry offers free pet food for owners who are financially struggling
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