Who Abandoned a Blind, Senior Chihuahua Dog in Waterford?

After a blind, lame and “very elderly” Chihuahua was left at the Waterford-East Lyme Animal Control building during the overnight hours of Thursday, July 31, Animal Control Officer Robert Yuchniuk posted a passionate plea for information on Facebook.

“She is blind and very lame from overgrown nails and other age-related setbacks, she is incontinent and terrified, she won’t let me touch her without trying to bite,” he wrote. “I can only imagine her confusion and terror as she was tied up and left here by her previous humans, who she trusted her whole life, wondering what she did to deserve this, listening to the car drive away, waiting in the dark hoping someone will come back for her, hoping a coyote does not come along and eat her alive.”

He said he hopes someone recognizes the dog and contacts him with a name of the owner.

“And I really hope I can make an identification of the (sic) you on the security cameras because I will be arresting you under the animal cruelty statute,” he said.

Yuchniuk added that he strives to be positive and upbeat but finds it hard when he sees people who dispose of pets so easily.

“Pets are a part of your family, not just when they are young and cute, but when they are old and lame too,” he wrote.

Because of the approximately 14-year-old dog’s condition and the biting, Yuchniuk said he cannot put the dog up for adoption.

“It is not the town’s responsibility to take your old, sick dog because you don’t want to euthanize it yourself,” he wrote. “No one wants to adopt a 14-year-old blind, lame, incontinent dog and because of the biting issues I couldn’t adopt her out if someone wanted her, so now she has to languish in fear at the animal shelter for the next eight days until she can be humanely put to sleep and get some relief from her suffering.”

Yuchniuk said he will be there with the dog until her last breath and will dislike each and every moment of it.

“But I will do it because it is what I do and my love for these animals is pure,” he said. “If this post offends anyone, so be it, I speak for those who have no voice.”

A Facebook fan inquired about donations for the care of the Chihuahua. Yuchniuk said donations may be made to Goodfriends Veterinary Clinic, 339 Flanders Road, Suite 104, East Lyme.

Checks made out to the Town of Waterford may be mailed to the ACO at the Waterford Police Department, 4 Avery Lane, Waterford.

Animal Control may be reached at 860-442-9451.

Photo by Waterford-East Lyme Animal Control