NJ woman charged with animal abandonment is allowed to reclaim dog

🐕 A woman was charged after allegedly tying her dog, Blue, to a fence outside the Humane Society of Atlantic County and leaving him overnight.
🚔 Atlantic City police tracked down the owner using surveillance video and license plate information, leading to multiple animal cruelty-related charges.
❓ Despite the charges, police confirmed Blue was returned to the woman's care, raising questions about how the dog was allowed back home.

ATLANTIC CITY — Despite being charged with animal abandonment after tying up and leaving her dog outside an animal shelter in Atlantic County, a woman has been allowed to reclaim her pet.

Atlantic City woman charged after dog left outside animal shelter

On May 26 at around 10:15 p.m., surveillance video from the Humane Society of Atlantic County showed a vehicle parked on a street near a gas station on Absecon Boulevard in Atlantic City.

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The unidentified woman then tied up the dog to the animal rescue center’s fence in the middle of the night and left the scene. The dog, named Blue, was found the next day by shelter staff, unable to go to the bathroom due to an infection and/or blockage, according to Atlantic City Police spokesman Matt Duffy.

Dog named Blue found sick after being abandoned overnight

An officer obtained the vehicle’s license plate information and tracked down the woman, police said.

She was charged with animal abandonment, cruelty to animals, failure to provide necessary care for an animal, and theft of services because the animal rescue center charges $150 to drop off dogs, Atlantic City police said.

Questions remain after abandoned dog returned to owner

Despite the charges, the woman had Blue back in her care on June 3, police confirmed, but it’s not clear how that was allowed to happen, Duffy said.

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