Deceased Dog Found at Perry County Shelter

The Perry County Animal Shelter is coming under scrutiny for a heat-related animal death. Some photos may be disturbing to readers.

Monday evening, a deceased dog was found tied up outside of the shelter where they provide an area for people to drop off unwanted dogs. Because of the holiday the shelter was closed on Monday, but the Deputy Warden was in at 8a.m. to feed the animals and clean out their cages. The warden says someone had to have dropped off the dog sometime after that.

"Monday we were closed and i was coming back from town as i do occasionally and i will come by the shelter to see if there’s any dogs tied out here. I got out here a little after 5, 5:30. I found a dog laying out here it was chained up…The was no other injuries to the dog so all I can figure is that he died of exhaustion fighting the chain" says David Elekes, Perry County Dog Warden.

But Warden Elekes wasn’t the first to discover the dog. Someone had been by earlier to take pictures. Although most shelters don’t provide such areas to chain up animals, the warden says that it’s better than having dogs run free and endangering people.

"The dog wasn’t tangled up, his chain was nice and straight, he just laid down and expired and he could easily have gotten to the water if he needed water. He just fought the chain until he died," says Elekes.

Elekes has been the warden at the Perry County Animal Shelter for nine years and says that nothing like this has ever happened in his time there. The Perry County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the dead animal, but was not available for comment. 

The warden does urge people to either call the shelter before bringing in animals, or come during business hours.