Indiana Police Rescue Dog Who Was Traveling Unsecured in an Open Trailer on an Expressway

Tuesday, Indiana State Police leapt to action after they were alerted to a disturbing video circulating widely on Facebook. In the shaky iPhone video, a terrified dog is shown lying in an unsecured cage in the back of an open trailer as the vehicle speeds down the expressway.

A man named Ryan Jackson was driving on the interstate when he saw the dog, a large brown Mastiff, lying in a small cage on a trailer pulled by an SUV. “I was heartbroken at first,” Jackson told 5 Chicago. “I really couldn’t believe that someone would treat their animal that way.”

The dog seemed to be in physical distress; the SUV was moving at speeds over 80 miles per hour, and, as the Indiana State Police later reported, the temperature at the time was approximately 26 degrees. “I saw the cage moved a little bit. I saw the dog reposition a few times. I saw the dog shivering — the hair was kinda standing up,” Jackson told 5 Chicago.

He decided to follow the vehicle, capturing a video of the horrifying situation before calling 911. Jackson also posted the video to Facebook, and a local reporter sent it to the Indiana State Police. What they saw sent them into immediate action. A detective ran the license plate on the SUV and located the pup in Gary, Indiana, where he had been abandoned.

With the help of an Indiana State Police K9 handler, who was off-duty but eager to lend a hand, the department was able to gain the dog’s trust. In a video of the rescue, the dog slowly approaches the handler, crawling low to the ground before gaining confidence and standing to take a treat. Eventually, the police were able to bring the dog to safety. The Mastiff is now safe in the care of a foster home, the Indiana State Police told CBS News.

By evening, the police had located the dog’s guardian, who is also the owner of the SUV. The department filed animal cruelty charges against the man, a 37-year-old Indiana resident. If approved by the prosecutor’s office, the charges will be classified as a Class A Misdemeanor, which comes with a potential punishment of up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.