Dead dog found in trash bag at local park
Editor’s Note: This story contains content regarding a dead animal found in the local area, and some readers may find this content upsetting.
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A local Bowling Green man found a dog dead inside a trash bag at a local park.
“Simple day for me. Woke up in the morning. Took my dog out. Took her back home. Got a little bored. I ended up going fishing,” said Ethan Hildreth, a Bowling Green native and social media influencer, said.
A normal day’s routine and trip took a heartbreaking turn at the James Hines park.
“I came down here to fish, and the dog I guess was starting to rot. I approached it concerned that it was a dog, a human or what. So, I looked, and I found the dog in the bag,” Hildreth explained.
He found a dead dog in a black trash bag along the barren riverbank. It is not known how long the dog’s body was there, but authorities say disposal of an animal in this manner is unacceptable.
“I don’t understand why people don’t look at dogs like they’re children too. Those are lives,” said Trooper Katan Parker with the Kentucky State Police.
The dog has been identified as an unchipped pitbull, and it is believed that the dog died before being put in the bag. The question raises, if your pet passes, what steps are there to take?
“Specifically for some owned animals, we have private companies here in Bowling green that do cremation. That is not a service we offer but certainly can refer individuals to use that service. We can also take possession of the animal’s body if someone has a cost barrier to cremation,” said Emily Cothran, a manager at the Bowling Green-Warren County Humane Society.
She said the nonprofit offers a hand in help for end-of-life services for pets. Cothran also urges the community to be reminded of city laws when an animal has passed.
“There are ordinances in the city specifically. The county also has some ordinances and are in the process of updating some of those ordinances, but humane disposal is a part of that. It is part of health and sanitation. It is just part of being a good community member,” Cothran said.
Hildreth said he doesn’t know the person’s situation who dumped the dog but wishes they had the knowledge to give the animal a proper resting place.
“Any dog, any animal deserves to be let go of in a good way. I hunt as well, and fish and I don’t find animal cruelty a funny thing,” he said.
