Special Report: Pet Dumping

It's a tragic occurrence. Pets being abandoned by those who were supposed to love and care for them!

It's called pet dumping and it's happening more and more in our area. 7's Victoria Warren reports.

Cute little Maria the Chihuahua is so lovable and adorable. How could anyone abandon her?

But someone did. The 2-year-old Chihuahua was stuffed inside a backpack and left behind a Waltham dumpster.

Boston Animal Rescue League's Alan Borgal says there is just no excuse for it!

Animal control officers say it's happening more and more. Pets abandoned by their owners in potentially dangerous ways. It happens so often it even has a name - "Pet Dumping".

Alan Borgal, Boston Animal Rescue League: "We've seen more and more animals being abandoned".

Like this Pug, which was discovered in Revere, scared and shivering inside a cage on the side of a road?

Or a Maltese mix still in her crate, was discarded behind a building in Everett.

3 kittens and their mom, were found malnourished and dehydrated, and left behind in a New Bedford apartment.

Another precious pooch is lucky to be alive after someone tied him to a tree in the woods in Palmer.

Alan Borgal, Boston Animal Rescue League: "The dog could have been attacked by wildlife you know they just assumed that these are heavily travelled areas where someone will find the dog and that doesn't always happen".

According to the MSPCA there were almost one hundred cases of pet dumping in Massachusetts last year.

Animal officers in Boston say they respond to at least one case a week!

In New Bedford, animal officer Manny Maciel says he's never seen so many animals being abandoned.

7News went along with him as he answered a call for a dog left in an apartment.

Flucome Brigges, a neighbor who called animal control: "Well the neighbor moved out and then never came back to get the dog for about 3 months now"

Neighbors fed the dog, hoping the owner would return, but she didn't.

Flucome Brigges, a neighbor who called animal control: "I love animals so you know that's why we called animal control because we just couldn't let it go".

Manny Maciel of New Bedford Animal Control says the motive for abandoning is often money.

Manny Maciel of New Bedford Animal Control: "Times are tough and the economy and stuff you know it takes a lot to care for an animal".

But there are other safer ways to give up a pet.

Manny Maciel of New Bedford Animal Control: "All we're doing is asking that you at least call your animal control or shelter and say I need help, I need someone to care for this animal for me I no longer can

For Maria, there's a happy ending.

She's being adopted by one of her rescuers!