An aquarium and a large, mysterious container – that is what one of the staff members arrived to at the Humane Society of Greater Dayton this morning. What was inside? A bearded dragon in the aquarium and a large Columbian Red-Tail Boa in the other. Both were abandoned in the parking lot at the shelter between the time they closed yesterday and opened again this morning.
When staff members first arrived, it was not immediately clear what was in the large brown box. The container was broken and flipped over so you could not see inside. It almost looked as though it was just shoved off the back of a truck. It was so large and heavy that it took several staff members to flip it over. Inside, the large snake was discovered.
“We pride ourselves on being the only organization in the Miami Valley that helps all types of animals,” said Brian Weltge, President & CEO of the Humane Society of Greater Dayton. “However, dumping animals like this is not only illegal, but it is dangerous to the animals. These reptiles require a certain warm temperature to be safe. With last night’s temperatures dropping lower than normal, it could have put these animals into a very dangerous situation.”
With the help of our friends at the Paws Inn Animal Hospital, we were able to remove the snake safely and our staff brought the animals inside where they are now being observed and are under heat lamps trying to warm their body temperatures back up.
“Both animals appear to be doing better, but our team will continue to monitor them today before they go into temporary foster homes to recover fully,” said Weltge.
The Humane Society of Greater Dayton is the only organization in the Miami Valley that cares for all types of animals including cats, dogs, rabbits, farm animals and reptiles such as these two discovered today. If you would like to support their efforts in caring for these animals as well as the thousands that come through their doors each year, donate today. The organization is proud to be a no-kill shelter dedicated to building loving relationships between people and pets. Founded 118 years ago, it is the oldest and most-established animal welfare agency in the Miami Valley. It focuses on pet adoptions, eliminating pet overpopulation, providing education and ensuring the humane treatment of animals. For more information about the Humane Society of Greater Dayton, call (937) 268-PETS (7387) or visit www.hsdayton.org.
