Police are asking the public for help identifying a suspect who left an injured dog at the Hollister Animal Shelter, leaving the animal to suffer through the night before it had to be euthanized, according to authorities.
About 6:17am Sept. 19, Hollister Animal Control officers discovered what appeared to be an injured dog—similar to a Chihuahua—that had been left in the shelter’s after-hours kennel, Hollister Police said in a press release.
The dog was immediately transported to a local veterinarian for treatment. However, due to the animal’s condition and under the vet’s recommendation, the dog was humanely euthanized, police said.
Upon further investigation, authorities determined the dog had been abandoned. The city’s Animal Care and Services staff are conducting an investigation to determine why the dog was left in the after-hours kennels and allowed to suffer through the night without proper medical care, police said.
“Permitting an animal to be in any building, enclosure, lane, street, square or lot of any city, county or judicial district without proper care and attention is…a misdemeanor,” says the press release from Hollister Police.
The police department released two photos from surveillance video footage depicting the vehicle that dropped off the dog at the after-hours kennel on Sept. 18 or 19. The photos show a white four-door car. One of the photos shows a person standing on the sidewalk next to the vehicle, just outside the chain-link fence enclosing the kennel.
Authorities reminded citizens that it is illegal to abandon an owned animal at the Hollister shelter. Anyone who wants to surrender an animal can do so during business hours at their corresponding county animal care facility, police said.
It is also illegal to allow an animal to go without care, according to police.
Any San Benito County residents who have questions about surrendering an animal can call the Hollister Animal Shelter at 831.636.4320.
Anyone with information about the incident can call Animal Control at Hollister Police Animal Care and Services at 831.636.4320. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call WeTip at 800.78.CRIME.
