Two Oregon counties investigate case of abandoned, disabled pugs

Pacific Pug Rescue said the dogs will need an expensive surgery on their leg deformities.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Portland-area dog rescue will take in five pugs with disabilities that were believed to be abandoned in two different counties over Memorial Day weekend.

Columbia County Animal Control Officer Roger Kadell told KOIN 6 that one dog was discovered on Caanan Road near Deer Island and another was found on Highway 47 in the Mist area. Officials said a third pug was reported dead on the highway, but its body has not been located.

Clatsop County Animal Shelter welcomed three additional pugs that same weekend. According to Animal Control Supervisor Justin Dersham, the animals were all recovered from rural areas along Highway 30, Highway 202, and Highway 47.

Officials suspect that all of the pugs came from the same litter, as they’re all of a similar size and color. They also suspect the animals were intentionally abandoned.

Pacific Pug Rescue in Beaverton has since housed the two pugs found in Columbia County, and named them Rowan and Ayla. The rescue organization plans to take in the remaining animals next week.

In total, there are four boys and one girl. According to a Facebook post, each has a deformed rear leg that will require specialist surgery.

“We can tell you this is going to be a very expensive endeavor, frankly we are in a bit of shell shock right now about the impending costs of treatment,” Pacific Pug Rescue wrote. “As we discussed in a prior post we got a pug named Popcorn that was dumped in this same area a couple years ago with the same leg deformities.”

The organization has launched a fundraiser to cover the cost of surgery.

Both Clatsop and Columbia counties are investigating this incident as a case of animal abandonment. The agencies encourage anyone with additional information, or who believes they have found another abandoned pug, to contact officials.