Dog Found Abandoned With Bowls Waiting for Owner to Return

A female dog abandoned with her bowls on a Maryland sidewalk waited for her owner who never returned, according to animal rescue employees.

The terrier-American bulldog mix, later given the name Flora, was abandoned in Prince George's County—near D.C.—with her bowls last month in a case that shocked animal welfare workers.

Flora's plight came to the attention of the Humane Society of Prince George's County and a photo of her was shared on its Facebook page on September 22.

The post read: "This poor dog breaks our hearts - she was abandoned in Oxon Hill with her bowls and just patiently waited for someone to come back for her."

Thankfully, 4-year-old Flora was picked up the same day and was found to be in a "fair condition." She was taken to Prince George's County Animal Services and Adoption Facility.

Prince George's County information officer Linda Lowe said that Flora was very scared at the shelter and appeared "to have been bred a couple of times."

But Flora was picked up by one of the county's rescue partners on Monday and is now ready to find a forever home.

Each year, 6.3 million pets are surrendered to U.S. shelters, an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744, compared to January 2022, the 24Pet 'Shelter Watch Report' found.

Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.

Lowe told Newsweek there are several things pet owners can consider doing if they are unable to continue caring for their companion animals.

She said: "We ask all pet owners to consider the alternative options, such as rehoming a pet with someone they trust.

"If a pet must be surrendered, our facility will make every attempt to place the animal in a foster situation or rescue group or adopt the animal to another loving family."

According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), dogs are the most popular pets in the country.

The APPA estimated that 65.1 million households in the country owned at least one dog, far ahead of cats, the second-favorite pet in the U.S. with 46.5 million homes having at least one feline.

It also found that the largest number of pet owners by generation are millennials, who make up 33 percent of all owners.

Correction 10/4/23, 8:15 a.m. ET: This article and headline have been updated to clarify that Flora has not yet found a permanent home; she is currently in foster care.