Dog abandoned in extreme heat outside Tinton Falls animal shelter

Susanne Cervenka | Asbury Park Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Dog abandoned in oppressive heat outside shelter A Tinton Falls Associated Humane Society volunteer found a dog with badly matted fur outside the Tinton Falls facility.

TINTON FALLS - A shelter volunteer found an elderly poodle abandoned in a box outside the Associated Humane Society in Tinton Falls during Wednesday's 90-degree heat.

Volunteers and shelter staff initially feared the dog, which has since been named "Halle," was dying when they found her by a split rail fence by the side of Shafto Road.

Halle, a small-sized poodle, was left in a box just bigger than she is without water in the direct sunlight, Associated Humane Society office manager Lindsay Papa said.

"There is absolutely no reason to leave a dog that way," she said. "It could have absolutely killed her."

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Halle was so badly matted and infested with fleas that she had been pulling at her fur, and ripping her own skin in the process, in an attempt to get relief, Papa said.

It's not clear how long Halle had been left in the heat. The volunteer found Halle at about 11:45 a.m. Wednesday. Papa said shelter staff arrives between 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Papa suspects Halle was abandoned sometime during the two-hour gap.

Shelter staff rushed Halle inside where she gulped down water and staff members started to care for her. Papa estimated Halle to be about 10 years old.

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A note was left with Halle saying the dog was found while cleaning a house in Howell and asked the shelter staff to help her. But the circumstances of how Halle was left make the shelter officials suspect her owners actually abandoned her.

If Halle was actually found in the Howell home, the person who found her could have called the Associated Humane Society directly, which would have sent an animal officer to help.

Associated Humane Society has also made it clear that it will accept any animal if an owner finds they can no longer afford or care for them rather than leave it to suffer, Papa said.

Despite her rough condition, Halle was in good spirits and was wagging her tail slightly as shelter staff began caring for her, Papa said.

The general public cannot visit Halle, but they can donate to the Associated Humane Society to help with her medical care via the shelter's Facebook post about Halle's story, through its website www.AHScares.org or by mail to the shelter's address: 2960 Shafto Road; Tinton Falls, N.J. 07753.

Susanne Cervenka: @scervenka; 732-643-4229; scervenka@gannettnj.com