Dog Infamously Left Tied to a Fire Hydrant Found Her Forever Home—on Her 1st Day Available

"We are so sorry you had to part with your best friend."

By Karly Wood August 9, 2022

Animal lovers are a special breed: They love fiercely and would do anything to protect their fur babies. So when a photo of a dog tied to a fire hydrant with all of her earthly possessions next to her went viral, it raised some eyebrows—and some ire.

According to the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS), Baby Girl, a mixed breed canine, was found at the corner of East Walnut Street and South Clay Street in Green Bay this past week. Along with a backpack, there was also a note from the six-year-old pup’s owner that explained why they could no longer care for her.

KTLA reports that a local resident noticed the dog at the hydrant and sat with her for an hour, waiting for the owner to return. When no one did, WHS came and safely took Baby Girl to the shelter.

Almost immediately, pet owners chimed in on how horrible it was to just abandon a pet, but the WHS released an update that shows another side to the story. In a Facebook post, the organization reveals that the owner was likely heartbroken at the notion of surrendering their precious pooch, but that medical conditions forced their hand.

“First and foremost, we are so sorry you had to part with your best friend. It’s evident just how much you loved her and we can see you did your best while struggling with your own medical complications and challenges of life.”

The message absolutely has us regretting the negative thoughts we were harnessing about leaving such a sweet pet on the side of the road. The fact is, we don’t know how much grief the owner went through when it came to making this decision. The WHS goes on to say, “[W]e see your love in the note you left, pleading for someone to help her when you no longer could. While we’ll never let fees be a barrier and we welcome anonymous surrenders, we see that you did what you thought was best for your beloved pup and we are grateful for your compassion. Rest assured that she’s safe, she’s getting tons of attention from our team, and she’s on track to find her next loving family very soon.”

While Baby Girl waited to find her next forever home, she was serving a mandatory stray hold until she was ready to be adopted. The good news? She was adopted on her first day available!