‘I knew she would be OK’: Pet owner explains decision to leave dog tied to fire hydrant

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY/Gray News) - A pet owner in Wisconsin is explaining her decision to leave her dog left tied to a fire hydrant in Green Bay last weekend.

After a picture of her dog “Baby girl” went viral, she said she wanted to share her side of the story.

WBAY reported the owner wanted to remain anonymous because of the story’s nationwide attention, and she fears backlash from her decision.

The woman admitted that leaving her dog at the fire hydrant was the hardest thing she’s ever had to do, but at the time, it was her last resort and only option.

“It was the worst. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but I knew she would be OK. Somebody would pick her up and she’d be safe,” she said.

Currently, she said she’s living on the street and going through chemotherapy, making it impossible for her to care for her “Baby girl properly.”

“I was on the streets with her, and I said it needs to be done because she’s with me outside, under bushes. And I was told no one had any kennels,” she explained.

The dog owner said she then tried working with other humane societies and going door-to-door to find someone to take the dog and ended up taking advice to call the police for an emergency surrender.

“I called seven places. I called everybody to see if I could give her up,” she said.

The woman said she was just a block away, watching as her dog got picked up by police. She had left the dog with her favorite toys, food and a note explaining the situation.

“When I put her at the hydrant, I saw her face that she was like, ‘Mom, what’s going on here?’” she said.

Now, she’s hoping her “Baby girl” can find a good home and that people will understand she tried to do the right thing.

“I hope she finds a fantastic family. She deserves it. Just forgive me and bless her. Make sure she’s OK,” she said.

The Wisconsin Humane Society Green Bay said they had no record of a conversation with the dog owner.

“We have no record of such a conversation. Although we ask for a surrender appointment to best prepare for an animal’s arrival, we make exceptions for emergencies and definitely would if someone expressed that they were homeless. In fact, it happened with another client this week,” a spokesperson for the shelter said.

On Friday, the humane society reported that “Baby girl” was happy, healthy and quickly becoming a staff favorite.

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