Rescue Searching for Man Who Abandoned Loyal Dog on Georgia Road 

Authorities are searching for a man who abandoned his dog after pretending to take him for a walk.

The dog, a mixed breed named Apollo, was discovered on Old State Road in Menlo, Georgia, according to News 9. Audray Luck of Luck’s Rescue Center found him alone and injured, showing signs he may have been hit by a car.

“I don’t know why his owner would abandon him on the side of the road,” Luck told the outlet on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Luck explained how dangerous it was for Apollo: “There are cars that are zooming by and whizzing by. So when someone goes to abandon a dog like that, their chances of survival are very low.”

Dade County, Georgia, does not have an animal shelter, so rescues often depend on local volunteers. Luck’s Rescue is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization, Newsweek reported.

“It took me 48 hours to locate him, and then another couple hours to gain his trust,” Luck told Newsweek. “He was very scared when I found him and had a slight limp. He had an open wound on his back, possibly from a wild animal or another dog, and the pads on his paws were peeling from running on the hot road.”

Luck also shared CCTV footage of Apollo being abandoned on social media. The video shows an older man in a t-shirt and cargo shorts getting out of a vehicle with Apollo, then driving away and leaving the dog on the roadside.

In her post, Luck wrote: “For the last 48 hours since he was dumped like someone’s trash I have been looking for him tirelessly. Today I got the tip I needed and rushed up there. It took me just over an hour to gain his trust but once I did I watched all the fear melt away out of his big brown eyes.”

“Shame on the man who abandoned him. We will find you,” Luck added.

She also warned that abandoned pets are a serious and growing problem in rural areas of the South. She reminded pet owners that leaving animals behind is against the law.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Luck confirmed that Apollo is “neutered, fully vetted and is ready to be adopted!”

“He is a sweet, happy, playful boy who is very grateful not to be alone and confused on the streets,” she said.

Luck also noted that the local sheriff’s office believes it has identified the man who abandoned Apollo, though the investigation is still underway.

To learn more about adopting Apollo and supporting Luck’s Rescue Center, please visit the organization’s website.