Dallas police are investigating a possible animal cruelty incident at Dallas Love Field after a dog was left tethered to a truck bed for four days in the airport's parking garage.
Frank Shamrock, a former mixed martial arts fighter in the UFC, admitted to leaving Zelda, a 7-year-old Labrador mix, in the garage before flying to California, the SPCA of Texas said. The man said Zelda was his mother's dog and he was unable to find a place to leave her.
Dallas Animal Services initially took protective custody of Zelda, but she was later transferred to the SPCA of Texas. The man relinquished Zelda to the SPCA last Saturday, and a judge gave the SPCA final custody at a hearing Monday.
In a March 2 Facebook post, Shamrock asked if anyone could take Zelda, whom he described as a "great guard dog" for his mother. Shamrock said in the post that he called every shelter and no-kill center within 200 miles.
Shamrock told WFAA-TV (Channel 8) that after unsuccessfully trying to find Zelda a home, he tied her up, left her some food and water and got on his flight to California.
"That dog is alive and safe right now and I couldn't guarantee that before I tied that dog to the truck and left," he told the station.
The SPCA said the dog is in good condition and being considered for adoption.
"Zelda is friendly and affectionate with animal care staff and volunteers at the SPCA of Texas and in good spirits despite the recent events she's been through," the organization said in a written statement.
A witness first saw the dog March 4 when parking at the airport before a flight. When that person returned March 6, the dog was still tethered to the truck bed, police said.
Dallas Animal Services responded and issued the truck’s owner a notification of a city code violation, police said. An investigation found that the dog and truck had arrived at the garage on March 2.
Dallas police expect to file a charge of cruelty to a non-livestock animal for leaving the dog without making reasonable arrangements for someone else to assume custody, the SPCA said.
"They can charge me with whatever. I will show up. It is what it is. I'm not hiding in any way," Shamrock told WFAA-TV. "It's an unfortunate and terrible thing. I'm an animal lover and I ran away crying."
