Terrified dog rescued from trash compactor
WESH, HEATHER JONES, CNN
By Pamela Comme
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DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (WESH) — A discovery no one ever expected, at the bottom of a trash compactor, ended in a life-saving rescue for a dog now named “Daytona.”
The black mixed-breed dog was found terrified and silent, crammed in with piles of trash inside a compactor at a Daytona Beach apartment complex on Sunday.
“You know, to put someone in the trash compactor like this … it’s beyond just kicking him out to the street,” said Brandon Arroyo, a resident who also works for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “He doomed this dog. If no one found him, it would have been over for him.”
Brandon and his wife, Heather Jones, live in the complex and got the call that the dog was sitting inside the trash unit. He went over and opened the door, and inside was the dog they believed to be between 2 to 4 years old.
Brandon used a lead rope to gently guide the dog closer and eventually scoop him up to safety.
The couple immediately took Daytona home and gave him a much-needed bath. While the dog didn’t appear to be injured from the incident, Heather says he has other health concerns that need attention.
“We immediately noticed that something was up with his hips,” she said. “So he’s scheduled to get an X-ray done on Tuesday of next week. He also needs to be neutered, and he has these floppy claws on the back that they want to remove because they tend to cause problems.”
Brandon and Heather are currently fostering him and say he’s already showing signs of trust.
“As soon as we rescued him out of the compactor, he took to us pretty much immediately and has been just the friendliest, sweetest guy. He’s very cuddly,” Jones said.
The couple believes the dog may have been thrown into the compactor and had likely been trapped there for over 12 hours. Unfortunately, the apartment complex has no security cameras, making the investigation difficult.
“Right now, we’re running tips through Daytona PD’s non-emergency line,” Heather said. “I was looking for personal cameras since the complex doesn’t have any.”
Daytona Beach police are investigating, but so far, no suspects have been identified.
In an email statement, the Daytona Beach Police PIO said, “We want to assure our community that we are investigating this matter thoroughly and with the seriousness it deserves. This act of cruelty is unacceptable, and we are fully committed to pursuing all leads to identify and hold the responsible party accountable. The safety and well-being of animals in our community is a priority we take very seriously.”
“Thanks to the quick response of an FWC officer, the dog was safely recovered,” they added. “The officer has since ensured the dog received proper veterinary care, including necessary vaccinations. The dog was not microchipped, and no owner has come forward at this time. Should no rightful owner be located, the FWC officer has expressed the intention to provide the dog with a permanent, loving home.”
Arroyo and Jones are raising money to cover all of Daytona’s treatments.
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