Police investigating after dog abandoned outside animal shelter
WEST OLIVE — Employees at Ottawa County's animal shelter, Harbor Humane Society, arrived at work Saturday, May 28, to find a dog tied up outside.
The dog had been left there the previous night and was without food or water for about 12 hours.
Animal control deputies are investigating the incident as a potential animal cruelty case, the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office said.
With publicity from Harbor Humane Society's social media posts about the dog and a surveillance photo of the drop-off, authorities were able to identify the person who abandoned the dog outside the shelter as an unnamed 35-year-old woman from Port Sheldon.
The sheriff's office said it was consulting with the Ottawa County Prosecutor's Office about possible criminal charges.
Staff at Harbor Humane Society nicknamed the dog "Gentle Ben" and have been posting updates about Gentle Ben's condition to social media. The dog was seen by a veterinarian at Harbor Humane Society May 28.
Harbor Humane Society accepts pets that owners want to surrender, the nonprofit said, but they ask owners to consult with them first about other options, make a surrender appointment with them and pay a $50 fee. The emergency surrender fee is $150 if owners drop off pets without an appointment.
In an emergency situation after shelter hours, such as an issue with a stray dog, Harbor Humane recommends calling the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line. The agency can dispatch an animal control officer.
— Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Police investigating Port Sheldon woman who left dog at animal shelter
