Officials seek owner of dogs found abandoned near NJ highway

The search is on for the person or persons responsible for abandoning at least two pit bulls along Route 1 in Middlesex County.
Volunteers with the Woodbridge Animal Rescue Group have found at least two young pit bulls along the highway in the past week. They say that they are concerned that this reckless behavior is becoming a dangerous pattern.
“It’s a highway. There’s multiple lanes in each direction, so it’s a high-traffic area for people and animals,” says Woodbridge health director Dennis Green.
One of the pups is about 20 pounds and was found weaving through traffic Monday afternoon. The volunteers named the dog Margarita because she was found near a Mexican restaurant.
Margarita initially came to the shelter in poor condition, according to officials.
“You can see she has pretty flat feet, and that’s an indication she was kept in a cage for long periods of time, if not all day,” says Woodbridge animal control officer Austin Clyburn. “She also has urine stains on her paws and she was covered in urine.
Officials say that another dog brought in before Margarita did not survive.
“It was early in the morning…one got hit by a car and died,” Green says.
That dog was a pit bull mix with a similar build to Margarita. Animal control officers believe that both dogs belonged to the same person. They say that they fear that this owner may dump more dogs.
Officials are offering a cash reward for information leading them to the person responsible for abandoning the dogs.
“If anybody knows anything, has seen anybody leave an animal there, we really want you to contact us at Woodbridge Animal Control,” Green says.
Margarita will eventually be put up for adoption once she is healthy enough.