El Paso County Sheriff’s office arrested a Texas man for animal cruelty.
Luis Antonio Campos, a 68-year-old Texan decided to get rid of his husky by abandoning it by the side of the road on Tuesday. The man had a younger man helping him, and the entire incident was caught on video.
The video shows a grey SUV that pulled up by the side of the road in Horizon city, a suburb of El Paso. A young man can be seen removing the leash and collar off a confused husky and getting back into the passenger seat. The driver, who seems to be an older man was waiting in the car the entire time. As the young man returned to the vehicle, they took off, leaving the poor dog stranded.
The husky ran after the SUV to no avail, he just couldn’t keep up, and the passengers had no intention of stopping.
Mr. Campos was arrested on Friday and the police said the public can expect another arrest for Campos’ partner in crime. Bond for Luis Antonio Campos was set at $5,000. Investigation is still ongoing and the police didn’t specify if Campos was indeed the driver.
The heartbreaking video was likely taken by another traveler who happened to be using the same road at the time. The incident took social media by the storm, and the sentiment ranged from outrage towards the owners to compassion for the pup.
It is this compassion of the caring people that changed the abandoned husky’s outlook. He was rescued and rehomed within 24 hours. He is now in his forever-home with his forever-family where he will be cared for and showered with love and affection. In the end, everyone got what they deserved.
The Huckleberry Hound Dog Rescue that initially took the dog in renamed him to Nanook and they estimated he was about 10 months old. In less than 24 hours, the pup got a fresh start with a brand new family.
On the other hand, the owner will face penalties, and has already faced harsh public critique. This case went public thanks to the video, but we have to wonder, how many of these cases go unseen?
Owners have to realize the burden of responsibility that comes with owning a pet. In many cases, family is excited about a new puppy, but as the dog grows and it becomes more difficult to care for it, they look for a way out. This is irresponsible and reprehensible, and many have expressed their disgust on social media.
On Instagram, the video was seen over a million times. Twitter commenters were also engaged. The commentary included characterizations of people in the video as “horrible” and some couldn’t wrap their heads around what type of person would be able to do that to an innocent pet. Many were left heartbroken and saddened. Family pets, especially dogs, devote their entire lives to loving their owners. They show affection every step of the way, and they trust us unconditionally. Betraying that trust and treating a living being as a toy is inhumane beyond belief.
Ronald Comeau, an El Paso dog rescuer expressed the same sentiment in an interview for KFOX, saying “I don’t know how those people could get in that vehicle, see that dog in the mirror running behind them and then just drive off. I don’t know how you could do that as a human being.”
There are a few lessons we can all learn from this case.
The first takeaway should be that having a pet is not just fun and games, but also a big legal and moral responsibility. You can’t take a fluffy puppy and play with it while they are small and cuddly and then throw them out like trash when they grow up. At the very least, Nanook’s owners should have tried to find him a new home, or surrender him to a shelter where he could be properly cared for.
The second lesson is that we can all help and make a difference by sharing these stories and by being aware of what is happening around us. The person who recorded this incident also called the police and helped save Nanook’s life. We need more people like this in our society.
Finally, adopting a pet can bring massive amounts of joy and love for everyone involved. You would be saving a dog’s life, enriching your family home, and helping everyone cope with the harsh realities of life.
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