Yorkie left in tied up plastic trash bag outside animal shelter

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A shocking case of animal cruelty caught on surveillance in Woodhaven.

A woman drops off a small dog at an animal shelter wrapped up in a plastic bag on a hot day.

"It was sad," said Melissa Lawlor.

Lawlor just happened to come to the Woodhaven/Trenton Animal Shelter around 8 a.m. Sunday. She often volunteers to clean it out and feed the animals, who are still waiting for homes.

But this time she was in for quite a shock - a garbage bag was sitting outside the door.

"It looked like a donation bag," she said. "When I got closer I noticed the dog in there whimpering. It was hot, humid and it was tied in a garbage bag tight. I had to rip it open.

When she did, she found a little Yorkie inside with matted fur, filled with fleas and a back leg that appeared to be broken.

She called police and animal control right away.

"There are a lot of people that is the issue they don't understand what could happen what if we didn't come in at 8 a.m.," she said. "What if the dog ended up all day long in that heat in the garbage back could have been a sad and tragic story."

The dog was trapped in the garbage bag for 47 minutes, which likely felt like an eternity. Woodhaven police were able to get surveillance video from a nearby city building. You can see the woman pull up in what appears to be a 2010 white Lexus SUV. She grabs the black garbage bag out of the car and sets it in front of the shelter.

Police are hoping someone out there can identify the Yorkie or vehicle to help find the driver, who dumped that dog.

"There is a much better way - just show up when animal shelter people are here," said Lt. Scott Fraczek, Woodhaven police.

Fraczek knows - he rescued two dogs that were dumped in a similar way in front of a Walmart last year. He wants people to know there is help out there if you need it.

"I just don't understand why you would drop a dog off when you can put it on the internet and within seconds someone would take the dog," he said.

"I'm so glad I came in to check on them bright and early," Lawlor said. "If I wouldn't come in until 2 p.m. that dog would have died."

Investigators trying to trace it through secretary of state for a list of those type of registered vehicles in the area but are really hoping they can make an identification through tips.

For more information about adopting the dog or about the shelter:

Go to the Last Day Dog Rescue website by CLICKING HERE.

Go to the shelter's Facebook page by CLICKING HERE. 

Go to the shelter's website by CLICKING HERE.