Chihuahua rescued after video captures man throwing the dog into a dumpster

LAS VEGAS (KVVU/Gray News) - A Chihuahua was rescued from a dumpster in a Las Vegas neighborhood after he was thrown inside by an unidentified man Monday morning.

The act was caught on a home surveillance camera and shared on social media by the Vegas Pet Rescue Project. The organization took the dog into their care Tuesday morning.

Rescuers said the dog is now being called Atreyu and is around 3 years old.

The video of the incident shows a man dangling Atreyu by his legs before throwing him into the dumpster around 9:14 a.m. Monday.

The man can then be seen walking away before returning to the dumpster to close the lid on the dog.

Atreyu spent at least 24 hours in the dumpster before he was found.

“You could tell that this dog was absolutely shaken up. It’s spent over 24 hours in a dumpster,” Lindsey Pinapfel, a volunteer with Vegas Pet Rescue Project, said.

Rescuers brought Atreyu to Horizon Bridge Animal Hospital around noon Tuesday.

Veterinarians examined Atreyu and confirmed he is uninjured, but a little skittish after the incident.

The identities of Atreyu’s owners and the man in the video are currently unclear.

“This man is a monster… I don’t care what this dog could have done,” Pinapfel said. “There is nothing that calls for an individual to take a dog by its neck and toss it in a dumpster...this was a miracle... that this dog was found prior to this dumpster being picked up.”

In a Facebook post, the rescue group said, “It happened just as Reba’s Law is finally gaining momentum. THIS is why we need stronger protections for animals. THIS is why we fight.”

The post continues, “We will be working with Animal Protective Services to identify and hold this individual accountable. This cruelty cannot go unpunished.”

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said they responded to the area but are deferring to Clark County Animal Protection Services as the lead agency.