Pup dumped on chair by side of the road refuses to leave spot

Sharon Norton, an animal control officer in Lincoln County, Mississippi, was tipped off to an instance of animal cruelty on June 24. She drove to the area on a quiet part of the highway and was heartbroken by what she found.

What she saw was a dog that, even after having been abandoned for what looked like at least a week, had refused to move from the spot, seemingly hoping that his owner would return to reclaim him.

The dog was sitting on an armchair that looked like it had also been abandoned along with a television set. Although it was clear he had been there for quite some time, the dog looked like he'd refused to move because he was hoping his owner would return. Sadly, this hadn't happened.

When Norton saw the dog, her heart immediately went out to him, telling The Dodo he was "skin and bones." Fortunately, she was able to get close enough to him to give him something to eat.

For this kindness, he seemed immediately grateful. Knowing that Norton was there to help him also managed to put him at ease very quickly.

"He was very happy when I picked him up and carried him to the animal control truck. I could feel his tail hitting my back, wagging. He knows he's safe now," she said to The Dodo.

Norton made sure the pup could get as healthy as possible following his harrowing ordeal. She vaccinated and dewormed him before giving him to Brookhaven Animal Rescue League. The no-kill shelter quickly found him a foster home where he was reportedly still living as of July 8.

Norton says this isn't the worst case of abandonment she's ever seen, but she wants justice for the pup who was thoughtlessly abandoned by his owners. She is confident someone will be able to recognize the chair and/or the dog from the photographs posted online.

"I'm hoping somebody ... will put two and two together and send me a message to help me find the person that did this," she said.

Though his story began in such a sad way, the dog, dubbed Lazy Boy Gatson, as of Norton's latest post, is thriving in his foster home as he awaits adoption from his forever family.