A family moved out of their Phoenix house Wednesday, leaving behind a sofa by the curb for trash pickup — along with their pet dog.
When a neighbor got home from work late Thursday afternoon, she noticed the 3-year-old Pit Bull hunkered down between the sofa cushions, and snapped a picture of him.
“I guess the old owners left him there,” the neighbor, who declined to be identified, told ABC15.
After unsuccessfully trying to contact a rescue, the neighbor called Mariposa County Animal Care & Control (MCACC), which picked up the dog and then transferred him to the Arizona Humane Society.
In the meantime, the neighbor posted her photo on Facebook. It has gone viral, with thousands of shares.
“We’ve been inundated with calls, people, rescue groups, people that want to step up and help,” the MCACC’s Melissa Gable told ABC15.
When Gable saw the photo, her reaction was probably similar to that of most animal lovers.
“I almost cried,” she told ABC15. “He looks so pitiful and tiny.”
The Phoenix Police Department is investigating the case. The dog’s owner, if he’s found, may be (should be) facing animal cruelty charges.
Gable told azfamily.com the dog is doing well. “We just want to let the public know that he’s okay,” she said.
Photo via Facebook