Dog Abandoned In Watsonville; Suspects Sought: WATCH

WATSONVILLE, CA — The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is asking the public to help identify men caught on camera Saturday, apparently abandoning a missing dog in a Watsonville neighborhood.

The dog was microchipped, which allowed an animal control officer to track it back to its owner, the shelter said Tuesday. The owner, who lives on Strawberry Lane in the northern Monterey County community of Royal Oaks, reported the dog missing Saturday.

The owner was shocked to learn about what happened to their pet and said they did not know of anyone in the neighborhood who disliked the dog, the animal shelter said.

Surveillance camera footage from a home in the 700 block of Watsonville's Green Valley Road shows a gray pickup truck stop on the street. Men release the dog, who appears to be confused, onto the street. The dog wanders into the front yard of the home before trotting back out onto the street.

The dog was brought into the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Sunday, the shelter said.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Animal Control Officer Rodolfo Manriquez at rodolfo.manriquez@santacruzcounty.us.

Watch a video of the incident here: