On the evening of December 4th, 2016 a vehicle pulled up to the entrance of the Hillside SPCA, Pottsville, opened the car door, shoved a dog out into the cold, no collar, no protection, and drove off.
For several days, volunteers from the shelter spent morning, afternoon, and night setting up feeding stations, and tracking the lost dog. The volunteers were lucky this time and were able retrieve the dog to safety where she is now safe, warm, fed and loved..
Volunteers are now reminding pet owners not to "dump" pets anywhere but also not outside closed shelters.
Dana Smith Mansell, a volunteer for the Hillside SCPA had the following to say "There is NEVER a reason to "dump" an animal any where! Hillside SPCA is open 365 days a year and accept "strays" and "owner turn ins." Yes a small donation is requested but if it is unaffordable to the person turning the animal in, the animal is STILL accepted."
Mansell also says over the past month there have been cats also just left in boxes in the middle of the night.
The Hillside SPCA is one of two shelters in Schuylkill County. The other being the Ruth Steinhart SPCA in Pine Grove.
A Letter to the Editor was also published by the Republican Herald in reference to the incident.