Police Must Investigate And Charge Man Who Tethered Dog’s Front Legs, Leaving Her To Suffer In The Heat

Published: May 17, 2023 at 04:54 PM Author: PENNY EIMS

Fresno, CA – Days ago, a good Samaritan confronted a California man who was keeping a dog tethered in front of his house; the dog had no access to water, and was unable to seek shelter from the heat because her front legs were tethered.

The life-or-death situation was posted to social media with the man’s address and an urgent plea to contact the Fresno Police and/or the Fresno Humane Society before the dog died from heat stroke.

The dog was removed from the tether and her former owner reclaimed her, but amazingly, the Fresno Police Department has stated that this was NOT abuse.

Did the police actually do a full investigation? The Fresno Police state that they are “committed to the safety of all animals,” but they have somehow determined that tethering the dog’s front legs, preventing her from escaping the heat, is acceptable – in what realm is this okay? 

A Google street view reveals a different dog at the same address, with the same front tether on the legs. Neighbors have allegedly stated that this man has “different dogs all the time” but they never stay for long. 

The good Samaritan’s video footage shows the dog panting heavily in the heat. If this woman did not confront the man, would the dog have died from heatstroke?

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO

From Ratedarf:
The @FresnoPolice doesn’t think a dog’s paws tied together, tethered, and in distress dying from heat stroke is considered “abusive”.

For the Fresno PD to also say “on social media was a snapshot and did not show the complete and thorough picture of the incident”… pic.twitter.com/1VZ2Bkt3da

— Iza S (@Iza_2021) May 17, 2023

If you do not think tethering a dog outside in the heat is acceptable, please add your name to the petition today! Your comments and signatures will be sent to the police department with our demand for a full investigation and charges. 

We the undersigned demand that the Fresno Police Department conduct a full investigation into this concerning situation. California tethering provision reads:

“Under the law, no person shall tether, fasten, chain, tie, or restrain a dog, or cause a dog to be tethered, fastened, chained, tied, or restrained, to a dog house, tree, fence, or any other stationary object. A person who violates this chapter is guilty of an infraction or a misdemeanor.”

Simply telling the public that this particular dog has been returned to her former owner is not sufficient. Who will protect the next dog from being tethered and left to suffer, and possibly die, in the heat?

Note: There are rumors circulating on social media that the tethered dog is somehow affiliated with a nearby Thai restaurant. On May 22, Animal Victory spoke with a lieutenant at the Fresno Police Department and he confirmed two critical things: the owner of the Thai restaurant is NOT associated with the dog, nor is he the man in the video who was confronted by the good Samaritan, and the police department IS investigating the tethered dog situation further. Animal Victory’s objective is to ensure that the tethered dog situation is fully investigated and to help ensure that NO other dogs are ever tethered in such a manner again. We implore people to focus on the police investigation and stop harassing the restaurant owner, who has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the authorities.

Update 5.19.23: Animal Victory has sent the petition with 18,000 signatures to Chief of Police Paco Balderrama for an investigation of the person(s) responsible for tethering the paws of the dog. Animal Victory talked with the Lieutenant and an investigation is being pursued. We will reactivate this petition when the abuser has been charged and convicted.

Individuals are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. Animal Victory relies upon the authorities and the court system to determine guilt or innocence.

Prior Signatures 20,333