Dog survives being thrown over fence in bag
A small maltese mix survived being thrown over a fence in a plastic bag.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – A male Maltese mix is recovering after a shocking act of cruelty was caught on camera outside an Anaheim veterinary clinic early Wednesday morning.

Around 1:36 a.m., surveillance video shows a woman crossing the street with a plastic grocery bag in her hand. Inside the bag is a small dog. She walks up to the fence of the University Veterinary Center, throws the bag over the top, and calmly returns to her apartment complex across the street.

Inside the clinic, veterinarian Dr. Ash Hakhamian heard the commotion and rushed outside.

“To see the dog thrown over in a trash bag… it was just the worst thing that could happen,” Dr. Ash said.

Once inside, he examined the dog and discovered injuries consistent with the fall. The pup appears to have landed on his face, leaving bruising along the gum line and jaw. But Dr. Ash says the fall wasn’t the only problem; the dog was also suffering from severe neglect.

The dog’s nails were so overgrown that they had curled into his paw pads. Many of his teeth were missing. And under his matted fur, he was little more than skin and bones.

When offered food, Dr. Ash said the starving dog “almost ate the metal bowl.”

Dr. Ash reviewed his security footage in hopes of identifying the woman. He said the most frustrating part of the situation is that help was only steps away.

“There are so many rescue groups in Southern California,” he said. “There’s no excuse to throw a dog in a grocery bag and toss it over a fence.”

The dog is now receiving medical care and is expected to recover. Anaheim police are investigating. If you recognize the woman in the video, you’re urged to contact authorities.