A dog that was abandoned outside of an animal hospital in Plantation has found a new owner and forever home.
The dog, now named Oscar, was dropped off at the Lakeside Animal Hospital’s parking lot in Plantation in July and left for dead, employees said.
On Thursday, his new owner, Frank Flores, got to take him to his new home.
“Something just connected with me when I saw him and I was like, ‘You know what, I got to meet this dog,” said Flores. “When I came here the next day after it was aired, I was with him for maybe two or three minutes, and I just fell in love with him.”
The previously abandoned pup narrowly avoided being hit by a car after being placed outside the animal hospital.
“I was mortified, like I really thought he was going to get killed,” said Estee Froehlich, the hospital’s kennel supervisor.
Surveillance video captured the horrifying moment the driver of a black sedan takes Oscar out of the car, leaving him in the middle of the parking lot before speeding off.
Oscar can then be seen chasing after the sedan onto the main road.
“I just can’t believe somebody could do something like that, like that’s evil,” said Froehlich.
“The dog tried to get back into the car and followed the vehicle, which usually means that dog is familiar with that vehicle and the owner,” said Practice Manager at Lakeside Animal Hospital, Danni Blunt.
After watching the video of Oscar’s abandonment and meeting him, Flores was left stunned by the cruel act.
“How can anybody leave someone this good and this cute, you know, it just doesn’t make any sense,” said Flores
Oscar was traumatized after that day, but his worst days are behind him as he goes to a loving home.
“I just fell in love with the guy, just instantly, and came out here and told them, ‘Listen, he needs to come home with me,’ and sure enough, one of the fortunate of many that applied, that I got him,” said Flores.
Unfortunately, many dogs are abandoned annually.
The staff at Lakeside Animal Hospital has a tip for owners who decide they can no longer take care of their pet.
“There’s so many different avenues, where we would rather people reach out to us or rescues, so that we can try to get these babies the help that they need and get them re-homed,” said Blunt.
It’s still unclear if the driver who abandoned him was Oscar’s previous owner, but if caught, they could face misdemeanor charges.