“Patches,” the pup thrown out like trash, recovering in Birmingham
Surveillance footage showed two men throwing a garbage bag with "Patches
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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WVTM) — An investigation is underway in Birmingham after a dog was found thrown into a dumpster.
The pup was lovingly named “Patches” by his caretakers at the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. Surveillance footage showed two men throwing a garbage bag with Patches inside into a dumpster last month. But the Australian Shepherd is much better now, thanks to the people who found him struggling to get out of that bag.
Surveillance cameras on a nearby building captured the moment Patches was tossed into the dumpster with a decent look at the men who did it. Folks at GBHS say it seems Patches knows basic commands and may have been someone’s pet. Stephanie Salvago with GBHS said, “He does know how to sit. He knows how to let you know when he needs to go outside to go to the bathroom. He is good on a leash. He will follow you around. All he wants to do is be next to somebody and getting pets and love.”
He’s come a long way since the day he was pulled out of a dumpster after being thrown away like trash. The director GBHS shared her frustration on social media saying, “I don’t know about y’all but I am tired of these stories and I’m really tired of these cases. And we’re going to have to start holding people accountable for this type of behavior if we want it to stop.”
Salvago added, “He’s unconscious in the bag. It looks like they’re just throwing away trash. It’s horrible. But he was able to wiggle his way out, get his head outside of the bag so that he could breathe, which we’re very, very grateful for.”
He was seriously ill with several puncture wounds when he was found. But the future seems bright for Patches now. He’s not available for adoption yet because the case is still under investigation, but someday soon, Patches will be ready for a forever home. Salvago said, “We’re just trying to make sure that he gets healthy as possible and back on all four paws before we make him available.”
There is a reward for information in this case. If you know anything about the people who threw patches in the dumpster, you can call Crimestoppers at 205-254-7777.
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