CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Clayton County Animal Control said a dog they rescued from a lengthy abandonment was too damaged by the experience to be saved.
Officials explained the reasons in a news release on Sept. 12.
The county responded to a call on Aug. 13 about a dog named Kava left alone in an abandoned house on Corinth Road in Jonesboro.
Officers found the house dark and empty, with Kava barking frantically inside. A 24-hour abandonment notice was placed on the door, but no response came from the owners.
When officers returned on Aug. 14, the house remained unoccupied, and Kava was still inside. Officers got a search warrant and entered the residence.
“What officers discovered was heartbreaking. The home had been left in severe disrepair, filled with months of waste,” Clayton County Animal Services said.
Kava had been left to survive on his own for an extended period.
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The dog reacted with deep fear and aggression, requiring a catch pole for safe removal, which he repeatedly bit, injuring his mouth, Clayton County Animal Services said.
Attempts to contact the owners, a divorced couple, were unsuccessful, and no one came forward for Kava.
“Very fearful, aggressive. Will lunge. Will bite the pole. Left alone in a house for months,” shelter staff noted about Kava’s condition at intake.
Despite medication prescribed to calm him, Kava’s condition did not improve, and by Aug. 25, he continued to snap at anyone attempting to interact with him.
After careful review, Animal Services made the decision to authorize humane euthanasia for Kava on compassionate grounds and for safety reasons.
“Kava was not simply a ‘dangerous dog;’ he was a terrified and abandoned animal left to suffer from human neglect. His life and death remind us all of the consequences when responsibility is lost,” Clayton County Animal Services said.
A video has circulated showing Kava wagging his tail, but officials clarified that tail wagging can indicate high stress or agitation.
The use of the catch pole, as shown in the video, was in line with safety policies and designed to prevent unnecessary injury to both staff and animals.
“Kava’s story is a painful reminder of why community awareness, responsibility, and compassion for animals are so critically important,” Clayton County Animal Services said.
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