Bristow Family Wants Apology From Pound After Dog’s Death

A Bristow family is heartbroken after they say their dog was picked up and left in the pound for dead while wearing tags with their contact information.

Billy Lawrence says his dog Phineas got out of its kennel and then was attacked by a pit bull. But by the time he could find his dog, it was too late.

"He was a part of our family,” said Lawrence.

Lawrence went to get his haircut on Friday; when he got back, his two dogs had somehow pushed out of their kennel.

After looking for hours, someone on Facebook said his dog Phineas might have been attacked by a pit bull.

"Called both the vets,” he stated. “Hadn't seen the dog."

Next, Lawrence checked the pound.

"There's a trailer house there,” he said. “We knocked on the door and nobody answered. There was no one there."

So, he checked the kennel area and found Phineas there unable to move.

"I opened up the door, picked him up and took him home,” said Lawrence. “Well, I took him to the vet immediately."

Phineas laid in the heat for several hours at the pound. Lawrence says the vet told them he probably could have saved Phineas if he'd gotten there sooner.

Lawrence says he'll never understand why no one called the number on the tags Phineas was wearing.

"I don't know why somebody couldn't just call,” he said. “If they wanted me to pay a fine for him running loose, that's fine. Just call and I'll come and get him."

Now, all he wants is an apology.

"I didn't want anyone fired,” he said. “I don't want anyone to get sued. All I want is for somebody to say, ‘Hey, we screwed up.’ That's it."

Bristow police say they will review their policies and determine whether there was criminal action by anyone involved including the Lawrence family.

The Bristow Police say the matter is still under investigation.