Family casts sick senior dog from home and reports him as stray. Meet Duke
A sweet, senior dog is on a journey to wellness after he was “betrayed” by his own family in Michigan, an animal rescue said.
When officers got a call that a stray was roaming outside a home, they weren’t expecting to see the heartbreak that awaited them.
“Duke, a sick senior dog, was reported as a stray. But when an officer arrived, she could see Duke wasn’t just lost — he was desperately trying to get back home. He pawed at every door and gate.
‘He didn’t understand why he was out there,’ the officer said,” according to the Humane Society of Huron Valley in an April 16 Facebook post.
After running his microchip, the officer learned the horrible truth — this was his house, his family, and he was trying to get back in.
“He was betrayed by his family at a time in which he needed them the most because once in the care of our friends at Eastpointe Police Animal Control Division they quickly realized that not only was he microchipped to the person who reported him as a stray but also that he was very sick and needed urgent medical care,” the Detroit Pit Crew Rescue said in an April 11 Facebook post.
“As things often happen we were in the right place at the right time and once we heard Duke’s story we stepped up to sponsor Duke’s medical care and he was immediately transported to an emergency veterinary hospital for care where he has tested positive for Lyme’s disease and in addition to that he has some concerning bloodwork.”
Officer Ashley Sanchez with the Eastpointe Police Animal Control Division was the one who answered the call and attempted to reach the owner by knocking on her door.
“She became a coward,” Sanchez said in a video posted to Facebook.
The good news is that Duke is on the mend and was discharged from the hospital on April 12, the post said.
Once Duke is completely healed, the rescue is determined to find him a family “that truly loves and cares for him,” it said.
For more information on Duke, follow the Detroit Pit Crew Dog Rescue’s Facebook page.
This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 11:30 AM with the headline "Family casts sick senior dog from home and reports him as stray. Meet Duke."