Dog owner arrested in Gwinnett County for trying to abandon his dog on roadside

GCPD give information on how to lawfully surrender a pet

(Duluth, Georgia)  A Stone Mountain man was recently arrested for attempting to abandon his dog along the side of the road.  The incident took place on Sunday, December 30, 2018, at around 11:30 pm on Breckinridge Boulevard in unincorporated Duluth.

Officers David Leigh and Joshua Bowie observed a vehicle pull off quickly and noticed a small dog running after it.  As the dog was running behind the vehicle trying to keep up, the officers pulled over the vehicle. The driver stepped out and had the dog’s collar in his hand.

The dog caught up and sat down near the driver as he was talking with the officers.  The man said that he was getting rid of the dog since he would not listen.  He said, “I don’t want to keep him with me if he won’t listen.  I could take him with me, but… he poops around the house.”  The man, Matthew Sanders (age 27), said that he was in the process of moving out of his apartment.  The complex was going to charge him a pet deposit.

He further said, “I came out here to see if he would go away, to go out on his own, but he doesn’t seem to want to go out on his own.”

Sanders was arrested for Abandonment of a Dog, Reckless Conduct, No Headlights, Tag Required, and Violation of the Georgia Leash Law.  He was taken to the Gwinnett County Jail.

The small white dog named Prince was taken by Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and Enforcement and placed at the shelter.  It was learned on January 3 that he has an “adoption hold” on him.  Once the mandatory waiting period expires, the new owner can pick him up.

Leigh and Bowie’s supervisor, Sgt. Justin Richey said, “Since the abandoned dog was dropped off on a major roadway, it is doubtful that the dog would have survived whether it was hit by a car, starved, or succumbed to the weather.”

For more information about how to lawfully surrender a pet, please visit: Owner Surrender