Dog abandoned in street outside Helen Woodward Animal Center dies of its injuries

An apparently abandoned dog that was found critically injured outside the Helen Woodward Animal Center on Monday, March 13, has died of its injuries, authorities at the center said Friday, March 17.

The Woodward Center offered a $5,000 reward earlier this week to anyone who could identify the person who abandoned a dog outside the facility’s closed Companion Animal Hospital.

Security footage showed a man parking his car in the shopping plaza adjacent to the center and leading the dog down a path toward the center before leaving the animal behind.

“In that time, the individual seems to wait to make sure that all employee vehicles have left the property and that no one will catch him abandoning the precious dog, who trustingly follows the man as he beckons the canine through the parking lot,’’ a statement from the center reads.

After the initial story broke, a woman on the Nextdoor app described seeing the dog in the middle of the street across from the center at 9:30 p.m. on Monday evening, March 13. The woman said four cars stopped to help the dog, which was bleeding from the mouth and head and looked to have been attacked by coyotes or struck by a car.

The dog collapsed in the street and was taken to a local emergency clinic. The animal died before reaching the facility.

Ashley Levy, one of the people who stopped to help the dog, told the Woodward Center she would never forget that dog’’

“The look in his eyes will stay with me,” Levy said, according to the center. “You can tell it was an old dog and
had been somebody’s pet.

“I’ve been crying for days,” Levy said. “The only thing that comforts me is that so many people stopped to help. After seeing the heartlessness of the individual on the security camera, it’s good to know that there is still kindness in the world.”

On Friday, March 17, officials with The Helen Woodward Animal Center said the $5,000 reward for information about the person who abandoned the animal is still active.

“This poor dog had the most terrible end to its life,” said Monica Petruzzelli, Woodward Center public relations manager. “You can tell this dog trusted the man who left it. It comes to him as he calls and then looks so confused when he leaves.”

The dog was wearing a harness but was left unleashed with only a bed and a few toys. It can be seen in the Woodward Center’s video wandering the property.

It is illegal in San Diego for any individual to abandon an animal. The law states in part: “No person shall abandon any domestic animal without care on any public or private property. Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.”

Authorities at the Woodward Center reminded the public that an animal is a lifetime responsibility, and there are options available at animal rescues for those experiencing hardship or even those who must relinquish a pet.

The community is asked to contact the Woodward Center’s adoption department with tips at (858) 756-4117, ext. 1, visit animalcenter.org or stop by at 6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe.