FORT ERIE — A man who claims he left the body of his dead dog in the woods in Fort Erie says he regrets his actions and that a series of unfortunate circumstances led to the abandonment.

After it was first reported by Niagara this Week early Monday that a dead dog had been discovered locked in a cage in the woods at the end of Dunlop Street, the story quickly spread across social media. The Fort Erie SPCA had opened an investigation and was seeking the public’s help to identify the owner of the dog. By the end of the day, a man claiming to be the owner had contacted the newspaper to claim responsibility.

The Fort Erie man, whose name is being withheld due to concerns for his safety, said the dog died of health complications over the Christmas holidays and he had trouble finding a vet.

On Christmas Eve the man said he first noticed the dog’s health deteriorating, so he contacted an emergency vet in Niagara Falls, who recommended he give the dog Pedialyte, a remedy sometimes used for dogs experiencing severe dehydration.

“We were sleeping, and when I woke up, she was gasping for air,” he said. “She died in my arms.”

It was now Christmas Day and most animal hospitals were closed, so the man said he initially brought the deceased dog outside and kept her in the crate, but he said the smell quickly became overwhelming.

“I tried for hours to dig a hole,” he said, but due to the extremely cold temperatures and the rock hard soil, he was unable to properly bury the animal. When the shelter opened up after the Christmas break, the man said he called and inquired about disposal of a dead dog, and was told it would cost $150.

“I didn’t have the money and didn’t know what to do,” he said, expressing remorse about what happened next. “That’s why I put her where I put her.”

Claiming he had no other options, the man drove out to the industrial area in the north end of Fort Erie, and left the dog’s body in the cage in the woods near Attar Metals.

“I wanted an area where someone would see it, but not kids,” he said. “I didn’t try to hide her. I hoped it would be adults or workers who found her.”