The Monmouth County SPCA is working with Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office to get justice for River the dog

A Monmouth County, New Jersey, dog wasn’t just abandoned — he was left behind in a death trap.

According to nj.com, on Monday, the 1-year-old male pit bull was put in a cage and placed on the edge of a beach in Highlands, New Jersey, in a spot where the slowly rising tide would eventually drown the canine.

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Thankfully, before the water rose too high, the dog was spotted by a dog walker. By the time he found the canine, the water was already lapping around the cage and the frightened pooch. The Good Samaritan climbed over a wall to reach the dog, whose cage was resting on the sand between a bulkhead and the water, and brought it to safety.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office is now investigating the incident and is looking for any information that can lead them to the individual who dumped this innocent animal.

Image zoom Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office

“The dog was taken to Highlands Police Department, who then called Animal Control then alerted our office. When Animal Control arrived on the scene the cage almost covered by the rising tide. If not for the heroic rescue act of the Good Samaritan, the dog could have potentially drowned,” the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office wrote in a Facebook post about the incident.

Image zoom Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office

The canine, who has been named River, is now under the care of the Monmouth County SPCA. On Facebook, shelter staff reported that River, while a little shaken up, is physically healthy overall. They also wrote that the dog appeared to be well cared for prior to being abandoned. River did not have a microchip, so the former owner’s identity is still unknown.