2 dogs running through traffic saved by Miami woman who found them space at the shelter, only to discover that their neglectful pawrents want them back, rescuer says: ‘How do you leave your dog unsupervised overnight if you love him so much?’

Author image for Laurent Shinar
Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Jun 24, 2026 7:30 AM EDT

The lines between an abandoned/dumped/lost dog are truly thin and very murky. Some might argue that a dog who runs away from home due to neglect is essentially an abandoned dog, while others would say that the dog's pawrents are his pawrents and there is no getting around the legality of that. And our story today sits right upon those blurred lines.

The subject of whether a dog is lost/abandoned/dumped is often deliberated on Reddit's r/rescuedogs subreddit. It is hard to tell which of the three is right in many cases, especially seeing as some dogs do just have a knack for getting out of their yards to enjoy a nice independent stroll. Now, this is not a massive issue most of the time seeing as dogs with a loving home will likely be chipped and in the worst case find themselves at the vet getting scanned so their pawrents can come pick them up. But the question then becomes what if their pawrents do not so care for them and left them chipless to save money? And that is the question our story brings to light.

For when this rescuer brought these seemingly abandoned doggos to the vet she found that neither pup had up to date records, meaning there was no one to contact. A fact that usually means no one will be looking for them and that they are likely dumped or abandoned. But in a surprise twist of fate the stray hold at the shelter did actually alter the neglectful pawrents of these puppers who came to collect them, albeit with little to no care nor remorse for having let their precious fur babies roam the streets overnight. Overall, this story raises more questions than it answers, and certainly shines a light on the level of pawrenting that is deemed acceptable by local authorities. But at least these two doggos did not end up losing their lives to a road, so that is one win for sure.

 

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  • 01
    "I understand not everyone is perfect but leaving a dog unsupervised and no effort of looking for him that night is enough for me to understand how that man takes care of him."
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    On Tuesday around 11 PM, as I was arriving home, I found two loose dogs a black female - Labrador and a smaller male dog running back - and forth across a busy street where cars were speeding. I stopped to
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    keep them safe and called 311, but after waiting nearly an hour, I took them to a pet hospital because the Labrador appeared exhausted, was panting heavily, and lying on the ground
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    Before bringing them to the hospital, an employee came outside, gave them water, and said he had no idea where they came from or whose they were.
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    At the hospital, staff found that the Labrador was microchipped, but the owner's contact information was outdated. The smaller dog was not microchipped. Since the hospital could not keep
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    Cheezburger Image 10640216064
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    them overnight, I took both dogs home. The next morning, the owners still could not be reached, so I brought both dogs to the Miami- Dade shelter in Doral. It was difficult to leave them
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  • Well, that was quite the rollercoaster right there. It is mad enough to find two dogs roaming around abandoned or lost in any situation. But to find them running across a busy road where they might get hurt, well that is just unimaginable. The stress and the fear alone would stop most people but not this dedicated dog lover. However, one really does have to ask how it comes to be that these two dogs went on the lam together. Did they meet along the way? Did they come from the same home? Are they even travelling together? We have so much left to learn about doggos. 
     

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    there, but I had my own dogs at home and had to work the next day. I also contacted a Labrador rescue organization in case the Lab needed placement elsewhere.
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    The Labrador's owner eventually picked her up on Friday. The smaller dog remained at the shelter, so I returned that same day to begin the adoption process. His hold period was set to expire on Sunday, giving any owner until then to claim him.
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    Cheezburger Image 10640216832
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    Later that Friday, I received a call from a man who said he found my Facebook post and that the smaller dog was his. He also turned out to be another employee
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    from the car shop where I had first found the dogs. When I asked him how the dog ended up on the street, he literally said "idk" (photos attached).
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    In the end he went and took his dog back and that made me angry because how do you leave your dog unsupervised overnight if you love him so much?
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  • Wow, yeah we get this rescuer’s perspective completely. This is kinda ridiculous. Sure, there are innocent cases when dogs do get loose and their pawrents are none the wiser. But even in those cases the pawrents are usually in tears the moment they understand their canine child has been found and is safe and sound. They do not often respond with such nonchalance that you might think they left their burger behind while collecting their food. And it is true what this rescuer says, if you truly love a dog you would never leave them to fend for themselves overnight. You would be frantically searching every nook and cranny of the neighborhood. 
     

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    Cheezburger Image 10640217088
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    And my last question is how does miami dade shelter release the dog to its so called owner, mind you he wasn't even microchipped, had dirt on him and did not smell clean. I understand not
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    everyone is perfect but leaving a dog unsupervised and no effort of looking for him that night is enough for me to understand how that man takes care of him.
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    P.S. After the owner called me showing interest that he wants to get his dog back, I called the adoption center and explained them the
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    situation as well as my concerns about the owner getting him back.
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    My name is K 1279480 Can you g mel Aka greet and a OR even you can be a DL Stan for now bmation an ow
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    almondmilklattehag · Thank you for saving those dogs I am sorry you weren't able to adopt the little guy.
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    Idk 4 Photos Saved do you know how did he end up on the street? He followed that big black dog I seen him in the cameras + iMessage Read 5:58 PM
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dogs want woman found reddit story saved running pawrents neglect dog story back animal shelter miami space traffic rescue
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