Update On Abandoned, Tied-Up Dog Left To Face Harvey, What Came Of Animal In Viral Photo?

A photo that broke hearts everywhere of an abandoned dog tied up to a pole to face Hurricane Harvey has a follow-up story. Many wondered if the animal photographed in Victoria, Texas after the hurricane tore through the area was rescued. The dog was seen tied up to a telephone pole as flood water surrounded her. She was just one example of the many animals left behind to suffer through Harvey. Was the dog in the photo saved?

According to a new report by Daily Mail, “Lucky the dog” was rescued after photographer, Ruaridh Connellan, snapped the now-famous image. When Connellan walked across the shallow flood water to free the animal, she wagged her tail and retreated to higher ground. The next day, Connellan went to the property and brought the grateful canine some food and fresh water. She wagged her tail, happy to have some human interaction. Connellan says he spent all night thinking about the abandoned dog he untied and had to see if she was still there. When he reunited with her, she was in “good spirits.”

“I was happy to see Lucky when I pulled up to the property, she came running out through the fence and greeted and me wagging her tail,” Connellan said. “I fed Lucky some food I had in my car and gave her some fresh water.”

Photos of Connellan and the Lucky can be viewed in a video a little further down this page.

Poor dog abandoned in Texas as flood waters from storm Harvey rise around him https://t.co/oRUjhVdA4y pic.twitter.com/Z13SsTvxry

— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) August 26, 2017

“Lucky the dog” was apparently left behind with a black pit-bull mix, two cats, and a pony. The report explains that the pit-bull mix was also tied up, but with a longer leash on dry land. Coincidentally, it’s the same dog seen in other images being shared on social media, the animal sitting by a tree it was tied to.

It’s believed that the owners may not have intentionally meant for Lucky to be tied to the pole, but possibly due to the pet owners “accidentally” leaving a dangerous situation in a panic before Hurricane Harvey tore through.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sguIiFnHH_I

Lucky and the other animals found were scared when they were found by the photographer, but are fine now. Connellan reported the abandoned animals to animal control and hopes to adopt Lucky if possible. Right now authorities have their hands full with the widespread disaster of Hurricane Harvey.

“I’d love to take Lucky to live with me in New York, but sadly I’ll have to wait and go through the proper channels,” Connellan said. “I’m disappointed in people who abandon their animals. I feel good about what I did. There is no doubt in my mind, if I didn’t unleash Lucky from the tree, she would have drowned.”

DM hasn’t been able to get any information on the people who lived at the trailer where the animals were found. It appeared that the abandoned dogs, cats, and pony were well taken care of before their owner left. They’ll need a permanent home and so far no one come forward to claim responsibility for the animals they left behind.

Animal control groups need help in the wake of Harvey flooding https://t.co/8v5EbSiFlH

— WTHR.com (@WTHRcom) August 28, 2017

A GoFundMe page called Harvey Disaster Animal Fund has been set up for donations to help with the rescue and care for displaced animals following the hurricane.

Update on Ruaridh Connellan Sept. 1, 2017 at 1:56 p.m.

Riuaridh Connellan was involved in a terrible accident, but is survived. He and another Daily Mail journalist, Alan Butterfield, were in a boat that crashed into a submerged power line in Houston’s Normandy neighborhood. Two volunteers died from electrocution while two went missing. Connellan and Butterfield, along with a fifth volunteer, were found Tuesday morning. Connellan was found clinging to branches and Butterfiled had managed to climb a tree. The accident happened when the volunteers were on their way to rescue an elderly woman trapped in Houston’s flood waters. The three men were hospitalized after suffering burns and other injuries.

[Featured Image by MEENzFoto/Shutterstock]