SURPRISE, AZ — A dog who was abandoned by its owner over the weekend is getting extra love and attention from members of the Surprise Police Department.
Police say they were first alerted to the incident on March 8 after a woman reported finding an abandoned dog near a walking trail in the area of Perryville Road and Peoria Avenue.
A nearby home's surveillance camera captured video showing a red SUV's passenger door opening, and someone could be heard saying "bye-bye" while pushing the dog out the door.
Investigators worked to gather information about the vehicle and those who may have been responsible for abandoning the dog. Those people, a 20-year-old man from Wittmann and a 26-year-old woman from Phoenix, have since turned themselves in and will be charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty charges.
The dog was kept safe by the initial finder, and the dog was then transferred to Surprise Animal Control. Since then, the pup has been receiving extra attention and cuddles from those at Surprise PD.
The department says it has "received an overwhelming number of calls and emails concerning the dog's welfare."
The department plans to turn the pup over to Arizona Humane Society sometime this week, according to officials.
"We...encourage anyone in our community who may be unable to care for an animal to seek assistance from local community groups or the Arizona Humane Society," Surprise police say.
