A dog called Kai. (Scottish SPCA)
Everyone wants to adopt the Scottish dog that was abandoned in a train station
A dog has been found abandoned at a Scottish railway station along with a suitcase containing his belongings.
Shar-Pei crossbreed Kai was found tied to a railing outside Ayr station on Friday.
His suitcase contained a pillow, toy, food and a dog bowl.
The Scottish SPCA is attempting to trace Kai's owner.
He was sold on the Gumtree website in 2013, but the SPCA has been unable to track down the address of the person who bought him.
Inspector Stewart Taylor said: "The dog is microchipped and we were able to find out his name is Kai.
"We contacted the owner registered to the microchip, who stated they had sold Kai on Gumtree in 2013. Unfortunately they could not tell us the address of the person who bought him.
"This case highlights the potential consequences of selling an animal online as it often leads to the impulse buying of pets that people know very little about.
"Regardless of the fact Kai was left with his belongings, this was still a cruel incident and we are keen to identify the person responsible."
The charity has said it has received more than 100 calls from members of the public interested in giving Kai a new home.
Kai is around two or three years old. He is now being cared for at the charity's centre in Glasgow.
The SPCA said abandoning an animal is an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. People found guilty of doing so can be banned from keeping animals for life.
Everyone wants to adopt the Scottish dog that was abandoned in a train station
For a time, Kai — a Shar-pei who was abandoned at a Scottish train station — appeared to be the saddest dog in the world.
In photos, the tan-coated Paddington Bear doppelganger strikes a dignified pose, but his arched brows communicate an unmistakable sadness that has resonated with dog lovers everywhere.
This week, the Scottish SPCA has been flooded with phone calls from people hoping to adopt the dog after photos of the somber-looking animal went viral.
“We have been overwhelmed with lovely messages for Kai and would like to thank everyone,” the animal welfare agency wrote on Facebook. “The phone at our Glasgow centre has … been ringing off the hook with offers of a new home for this adorable boy, who must be the most filmed and photographed dog in Scotland and has taken being in the media spotlight in his stride.”
The SPCA noted that offers to “rehome” Kai even came from America. “We’ll find him a new home in Scotland the agency promised as Scottish authorities continued searching for the dog’s previous owner in hopes of finding out why, exactly, he was left behind.
“Kai is around two to three years old and is a lovely dog with a nice nature,” SPCA Inspector Stewart Taylor said in a statement on the Scottish SPCA’s website. “We will look after him until we can find him a permanent and loving home.”
A microchip led investigators to the dog’s original owner, who told them he sold Kai through an online classified ad in 2013, according to the SPCA. If found, the owner could face charges under Scotland’s Animal Health and Welfare Act, according to the Guardian. A guilty verdict could lead to a temporary or permanent ban from owning animals, the paper noted.
“This case highlights the potential consequences of selling an animal online as it often leads to the impulse buying of pets that people know very little about,” Taylor said.
The wrinkly-faced pooch was discovered Friday night tied to a railing outside Ayr station, which is about 40 miles from Glasgow. The dog’s suitcase included a number of his belongings, including a pillow, a toy, a food bowl and food.
“Regardless of the fact Kai was left with his belongings, this was still a cruel incident and we are keen to identify the person responsible,” Stewart said. “If anyone can help we would ask them to get in touch as soon as possible.”
The Scottish SPCA noted that Kai needs to have an operation on his eyes and is raising money to pay for the procedure. “Otherwise, he’s doing well and probably wondering what all the fuss is about!”
Peter Holley is a general assignment reporter at The Washington Post. He can be reached at peter.holley@washpost.com.
Everyone wants to adopt the Scottish dog that was abandoned in a train station http://wapo.st/1Dopdt6
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