Halo was brought by someone to California’s Santa Maria Animal Center after closing hours one February night. It was 10 o’clock, cold, and raining hard, but whoever it was left her there anyway.
The pup was terrified and hid behind a trash bin she saw nearby. Thankfully, one staff member came early to the shelter hours earlier than the usual opening hours and spotted the tiny pup hiding under the can, shielded from rain.
Halo was brought inside and warmed up, and soon shelter staff were finding out about Halo and the terror and fright she had to go through. They were shocked and outraged, and decided to use this as a teaching moment for locals.
Santa Barbara County Animal Services posted a message on their Facebook page explaining that abandoning any animal like that is illegal and 100% pointless. There is always an animal control officer on-call who can respond to queries after the shelter has closed. Leaving a pet outside like that is very dangerous to them.
It is also much more beneficial for the animal in question if they are directly handed in to a shelter, as that gives staff the opportunity to ask about their personality, medical history, and other important, helpful information. The post finished by explaining that although surrendering a pet is frightening and can feel embarrassing, staff always only want to help.
The good news is that Halo is doing much better now. She is slowly overcoming her fears and proving herself to be sweet and active, and she’s making a lot of friends. She needs a while to be ready for adoption, but when she is, you can reach out to the shelter if you’d like to take her in by clicking here.
Images & Feature Image Source: Santa Barbara County Animal Services