Originally Posted by
klyrish
Went to the off-leash dog park this morning with my elderly German Shepherd and it was mostly a good time until we were near the end of the outer-perimeter path. A woman with a golden retriever who we regularly encounter on our twice-weekly visits waved me over and asked if I saw the two Huskies about 150 ft ahead of me/behind her (we were going opposite ways on the loop) and I confirmed I did. She said she thought they were abandoned.
I realized there was no person around them and they had been sitting there for the entire time we were on that section of the path (about .6 miles long according to signs posted) but there were people further back so I just thought they had gone ahead like every dog does there. She said they were covered in ice and too skittish to come close but one had a tag. I put down my bag and gloves and got on my knees close to them, hands out in a welcoming, non-intimidating pose. They came timidly forward and the one without a tag got close enough to let me pet him. His back, chin, neck, and chest were totally frozen. I could see the other one was in a similar state. They had very clearly been there overnight (it was just before 7am).
They were hungry, scared, and completely distrustful of us.
This lady had treats and was trying to coax them over to her with them but the one with a tag on just would not let anyone get him. I was seriously half an inch from getting a grip on his harness while he was distracted with a treat but he got away and then refused to come near me again after shooting daggers from his eyes.
The woman said had just gotten there and said she would keep trying to get them to come closer to get the tag and hopefully call but if not, would hopefully be able to tell a ranger, but neither of us knew when they actually show up to man the admission booth. The dog park opens at 5am and closes at 10pm and I've only ever been there once after 8am, on a weekend, and there was someone in the booth. Otherwise, it's the honor system with a automated kiosk to buy a daily/annual pass when there isn't anyone staffing the booth.
They couldn't have been much more than a year. They were so tiny and cute, confused, frozen, and scared. It was fucking heartbreaking and there was nothing I could fucking do.
Fuck whatever asshole(s) abandoned them and fuck anyone who abuses animals in any way. What a shitfuck way to start the day.