Good Samaritan Saved Dog Abandoned In River With Large Rock Tied To Its Leash
Jan 13, 2020 by apost team
One of the most heartbreaking things that someone can do is bring a cat or dog to an animal shelter after determining that it could no longer be cared for. However, some go way beyond that into unquestionably cruel territory. Sadly, that's exactly what happened on Jan. 6, 2020, in Farndon, Nottinghamshire, England.
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Bella, a Belgian shepherd, was seen struggling in the River Trent that morning, and "a brave member of the public," according to a Nottinghamshire Police tweet, rushed to her and rescued her. Jane Harper, the good Samaritan who had been walking her own dogs at 8:20 that morning, was horrified when she tried to lift the weakened animal only to discover why she weighed so much more than expected. Bella was leashed to a carrier bag that had a huge rock inside of it.
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Jane later did an interview with BBC in which she said that Bella "looked like a dead dog" and had simply thought that she had gotten caught in the river before Jane initially could not move Bella. However, she persevered, and, once she finally got Bella to safety, several others rushed over to help, wrapping the shivering animal in a jumper and then towels. They were all so terrified that Bella was going to die in front of their eyes.
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The poor animal is understandably struggling today and will likely bear the psychological and physical burdens of this experience for some time to come but has shown encouraging signs. Most noticeably, she has started eating.
It's believed that Bella, her name when she was microchipped in 2010, may be a former name, and she might go by a different one today.
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Later, two people were arrested "on suspicion of animal cruelty offenses" before being released while still under investigation. Nottinghamshire Police's Adam Pace added that "we are still appealing for information about the circumstances of the incident." Those who witnessed or recorded anything related to this tragedy are encouraged to contact the police department.
Many who heard this story were furious and heartbroken but thankful that Bella had been rescued before the worst had happened. Several spoke solely of needing to punish those responsible. Others added things similar to @R4tser's comment: "I'd take that dog right now & give it a home where it would be cherished & loved unconditionally. Beautiful dog."
What's the most heartbreaking animal-related situation that you've ever been a part of?