Owner charged after putting dog in unsecured kennel on trailer while traveling on highway

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. (Gray News) - Police in Indiana rescued a dog and identified its owner after the animal was seen traveling on a highway in an unsecured kennel on a trailer.

Troopers with the Indiana State Police said they were alerted to a Facebook post on Feb. 11 that showed an SUV pulling an open utility trailer with an unsecured kennel inside.

A large dog appeared to be in distress inside the kennel.

Police said a witness saw the SUV traveling east on Interstate 80/94 from the Illinois state line and called 911 out of concern for the animal.

The temperatures that day were about 26 degrees.

Detectives said they began an investigation to locate the vehicle and the dog after a local reporter shared an image of what witnesses saw on the highway.

Authorities said they were able to find the dog at a home in Gary where it had been abandoned at a home where the owner of the vehicle in question once lived.

An off-duty K-9 officer helped gain the dog’s trust and first responders were able to take the dog in.

The animal’s owner, only identified by police as a 37-year-old Lake County resident, is facing an animal cruelty charge.

Indiana State Police thanked the good Samaritan who alerted them to the situation.

The dog is currently being housed in a foster home and is receiving much-needed attention, police said.

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