COLORADO SPRINGS — Laying on the sidewalk of a park in Colorado Springs, a pit bull not even one-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.
Around 10:00 pm on May 16, Anderson says he watched a car drop Bruno off in the park and never come back. He says he checked on Bruno that night, but the dog was too nervous to come to him.
Anderson says 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, eventually calling Animal Law Enforcement (ALE).
"We rely on the community to be our eyes and ears, so if you see something... Call us, let us know what you saw," said one ALE Officer.
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 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."
ALE says if you see an animal being dumped, pay attention to a person's description, the make of a car, and license plates 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 Human 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
_____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
