Eugene man arrested after two dogs found abandoned without water
An out-of-state caller set Eugene police on a west Eugene neglect case that ended with two dogs found without water and both taken to Greenhill Humane Society.
Two dogs were pulled from separate neglect scenes in west Eugene after an out-of-state caller alerted police that a German Shepherd was about to be abandoned near West 11th Avenue and Oak Patch Road. The response on June 17 ended with both animals in protective care and a Eugene man facing an animal-abandonment charge.
Eugene police said the call came in at 3:18 a.m. from a woman outside Oregon, who reported that Joseph Riley Smith, 55, was going to leave the German Shepherd tied up near the busy West Eugene intersection. When officers went to Smith’s apartment, they found him appearing intoxicated and found a Pomeranian that was unsecured and had no access to food or water.
Police later found the German Shepherd tied up outside the Taco Bell near West 11th Avenue and Oak Patch Road, where the dog also had no food or water. Smith was lodged at the Lane County Jail on a charge of animal abandonment, and the case remains under investigation.
Beyond the arrest, the case points to the speed at which animal welfare concerns can turn urgent in summer conditions. Eugene Police and Eugene Animal Services have warned that pets left in hot conditions can suffer heatstroke quickly, and city officers use digital thermometers when investigating neglect cases. Eugene police also warn that animals left in vehicles or other unsafe settings can suffer heatstroke or brain damage rapidly.
The City of Eugene says its Animal Welfare Unit investigates abuse, neglect and abandonment and transports sick or injured stray dogs to Greenhill Humane Society or an emergency veterinary hospital. Greenhill says it has cared for animals in Lane County since 1944 and operates the only life-saving animal shelter within the Eugene-Springfield area. The City of Eugene contracts with Greenhill to operate the public animal shelter.
For neighbors who see a pet tied up without water, left in a car, or confined in unsafe heat, the city says animal abuse, neglect or violations should be reported through Eugene Animal Services at 541.687.4060, a line answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Lane County says Eugene residents inside city limits should contact Eugene Animal Services, not Lane County Animal Services, when an animal is in distress.
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