From Abandoned to Adored: Dog Found Strapped to a Tree in Connecticut Now Ready for a Forever Loving Home

A 5-year-old pup named Obie was discovered left in a wildlife sanctuary in Connecticut and is now up for adoption through the Tyler Regional Animal Care Shelter

Updated on May 20, 2024 03:18PM EDT

A dog named Obie is searching for a new home after being rescued from a heartbreaking situation.

According to the Tyler Regional Animal Care Shelter (TRACS) in South Windsor, Conn., on April 22, a “Good Samaritan” walking their dog at a wildlife sanctuary found an abandoned 5-year-old canine.

The dog walker found the dumped canine — originally called Kobe but now named Obie — strapped to a tree by his collar at the Frank Niederwerfer Wildlife Sanctuary in South Windsor, outside Hartford.

After the discovery, rescuers free Obie from the tree and brought him to TRACS to recover.

South Windsor Police Department later released a statement to Facebook announcing that a 26-year-old woman had been arrested on May 16 concerning Obie’s case. According to the police, she was charged with cruelty to animals and tethering a dog to a stationary object. She was released on a $5,000 bond and is set to appear in court next on June 5.

After Obie arrived at TRACS, the shelter started to share updates about the dog’s story on social media. The sweet black-and-white dog quickly found fans online who have been following his journey to recovery, including his first bath — where the shelter’s staff announced that his eyes and skin had nearly healed after experiencing some irritation — to his first vet check-up, where Obie was neutered, received his vaccines, had routine blood work, and was microchipped.

“We are blown away with all the calls checking in on Kobe!” TRACS wrote in a Facebook post, referring to the dog’s former name. “We cannot believe the distance his story has traveled.”

Now, nearly a month after he was found alone, crying, and strapped to a tree, Obie is up for adoption — and the shelter has some specific requirements about his new home.

“The moment you all have been waiting for!” TRACS teased in a Facebook post on Saturday, May 18. “Obie is officially available for adoption!”

“We are going to be very particular with who adopts Obie,” the shelter continued. “We have learned a lot about him over the past month. Obie is 5 years old, and has been neutered and vaccinated, but we recommend following up with your vet ASAP after adoption.”

Noting that the dog is a big fan of being “loved on” and “is learning so much from his weekly training sessions,” TRACS specified that Obie does not like being around men, has sensitive skin, requires a specialized diet for his sensitive stomach and has become anxious during his time in the kennel.

“Obie is learning leash manners, but this training will need to be continued,” the shelter wrote. “We have been told he is good with children, but we have not tested him. We have not dog-tested or cat-tested him, but he does not seem to mind the dogs in the kennel. Ideally, we would love for him to go to a home as an only dog so he can be loved and doted on for the rest of his life.”