2 dogs found abandoned in Shelton just a day apart

FOX 61 | Author: Alyshia Hercules | May 15, 2025 |

SHELTON, Conn. — Two dogs were found abandoned in Shelton just a day apart, including one left in a cage at a construction site, while the other was dumped in a carrier at the end of a driveway.  At the construction site Wednesday morning on Bridgeport Avenue, an electrician found a small dog in a cage, soaking wet after being left in the rain for hours.  

Just one day later, Shelton Animal Control said someone dumped another dog just a few miles away.  A small Maltese mix dog was found with injuries so severe that the dog had to be euthanized.  

These are just two cases of animal cruelty in the state. 

In a newly-released report, the state said it has seen a rise in this type of crime. The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s report said it found a nearly 37% increase in animal cruelty crimes in 2024 compared to the year before.   “I think we’ve seen a gradual increase in animal abuse over the years,” said Linda Pleva, the vice president and treasurer of Desmond's Army Animal Law Advocates.

Pleva thinks this gradual increase comes from pet owners not being held accountable for abusing their animals.   “In the many years that I’ve been doing this, I can count on probably one hand the amount of people who have actually gone to jail for committing animal abuse,”  Pleva said. She noted that the lack of accountability can be disheartening for herself and many people in this line of work.   “They’re prosecuted. But at the end of the day, the sentencing is so lenient, if any, it’s basically worthless,”  she said. 

Desmond’s Army is offering a $5,000 reward for information on the person responsible for leaving the injured dog on the construction site.   Pleva said that although many animal abusers receive short sentences, if any at all, it’s important to find these abusers and hold them accountable.   She said that no matter the condition of an animal, abandoning them is illegal and should never be an option.   “You find an injured dog or if your dog is injured, you take that animal to a vet. You don’t just put it in a cage and dump it somewhere where it may or may not be found,” Pleva explained.  People who know any animals that are being abused or find an animal that has been dumped are encouraged to call their local animal control officer.