Our hearts broke over the weekend when footage of a 13-year-old golden retriever being abandoned by its owner in Washington was shared online.
Now, in an update on the case, it has been revealed that the woman who abandoned the pooch - named Henry - has been cited with animal cruelty.
A citation is used in some cases to charge a person without needing to make a physical arrest.
Advert
You can watch the upsetting video below:
In the shocking clip, the woman can be seen pulling up in her car on the roadside, before opening the rear passenger door. Henry hops out and the woman closes the door behind him.
She then walks a short distance with the dog, who can be seen wagging his tail as if they're going for a walk, before running back to the car.
Advert
The footage - caught by a man named Brandon Price - has been shared online by non-profit organisation I Paw'd It Forward. Brandon has been raising money for the cause, via Facebook.
Now, animal control officers say they've cited the woman for animal cruelty laws after the clip went viral.
"Abandonment is considered to be animal cruelty," Susan Anderson of Clark County Animal Protection and Control told Katu.
Advert
"It was her understanding that she had run out of options based on what she had told our investigating officers. She was unable to find a home for him on her own and had run out of options, in her mind."
"So the next steps in this case are - as far as the enforcement goes - is that officers will speak with the prosecuting attorney's office next week when everybody is back on shift."
It's believed the woman could face a misdemeanour charge or a civil penalty.
Advert
When I Paw'd It Forward first posted about Henry, they were inundated with adoption offers. It's now been revealed that the beautiful pooch will soon be up for adoption at the Humane Society for Southwest Washington.
We hope Henry gets the loving forever home he deserves.
Featured Image Credit: Brandon PriceTopics: Life News, Animals, Dogs