Heartbreaking photo of a man holding his dog's paw through a pound cage prompts well-wishers to donate the $400 to free him after it was secretly posted on Facebook

Dave Thomas, from California, was jailed for a few days for traffic violations and his dog Buzz Lightyear, a pitbull mix, taken away



This is the heartbreaking photo taken of a man weeping as he comforts his beloved dog through cage bars after he could not afford to have his pet released from the city pound.



Dave Thomas, from San Bernardino, California, was jailed for a few days for traffic violations on February 13 - leading to his dog Buzz Lightyear being impounded.

After Mr Thomas was released from prison, he could not afford to pay the $400 fees required to have his two-year-old pit bull mix released from its cage at the shelter.

Scroll down for video



Best of friends: Dave Thomas, from San Bernardino, couldn't afford to have his impounded dog Buzz Lightyear released so sat and held his beloved pet's paw

By your side: Mr Thomas sat alongside his pet Buzz Lightyear but was not allowed to have his dog back because he could not pay $400 fees at the pound

Fortunately for Mr Thomas, 36, a photographer and animal lover Maria Sanchez was at the shelter at the same time. She snapped a picture of the man sitting on the ground and stroking the dog's paw through the metal bars and feeding him Cheetos.

She told ABC : 'He was pouring water into his dog's water bowl, his dog sat there and licked up the water for about a minute, he sat down next to him and started weeping.'

Ms Sanchez posted the photo to her Facebook page and appealed to the kindness of strangers.



Within days the money was raised thanks to well-wishers - but Ms Sanchez still had to track down Mr Thomas because he had not left his contact details with the shelter.



She posted fliers all over the local area and appealed for help online. The amount raised has now totaled more than $2,000.



He was finally tracked down by on Monday evening by the local station and a highly emotional and relieved Mr Thomas was told he would be reunited with his beloved Buzz the following day.



Despair: Mr Thomas, 36, didn't have the funds to release his dog before he was pictured by a Good Samaritan animal lover

Overwhelmed: It took days to track down Mr Thomas who was extremely emotional when he realized that strangers had donated to have him reunited with his dog

Emotion: Mr Thomas, 36, was helped out by Good Samaritans including Maria Sanchez (left) who he has repaid by threatening to sue her



