Heartbreaking clip shows dog being abandoned by its owner

Heartbreaking footage of a 13-year-old golden retriever left abandoned by his owner has been shared online.

In the clip, a woman can be seen pulling up in her car on the roadside before opening the rear passenger door. Watch as the pooch hops out and the woman closes the door behind him:

She then walks a short distance with the dog, who can be seen wagging his tail as if they're going for a walk, before running back to the car.

The footage, caught by a man named Brandon Price, was shared online by non-profit organisation I Paw'd It Forward back in 2020.

Brandon has since managed to raise over $3,000 for the organisation - you can continue to donate via Facebook here.

Writing on social media about the ordeal at the time, I Paw'd It Forward explained that the poor pup was taken into their care.

They said: "THIS. This is what a dog that has just been abandoned looks like. They are still here. They are still waiting. They are still searching for you to return.

Brandon Price

"They are confused. They do not understand why the humans they devoted their lives to have disappeared. Most of the time, we don't catch them right after they are left. Most of them never make it home.

"We do our best to recover as many as we can, but we know we are just a small blip [in] the grand scheme of it. There is no reason to do this. None. There are a bunch of excuses, but no reasons.

"There are a whole slew of options available if you decide your dog is not for you, or your life has changed, or whatever you have convinced yourself is what you need.

"Here is what I would ask of you: Instead of dumping your dog somewhere, offer him/her the same courtesy you offered him when you adopted him. If you need to rehome him, ok. But be patient. Find the right home.

"Reach out to the rescues in your area. Contact the Humane Society and schedule a surrender. If they say you need to wait your turn and it could be 2-3 weeks, wait. Do right by them."

I Paw'd It Forward/Facebook

The organisation later posted an update saying they believed they had located the dog's owner after being inundated with messages and tip-offs.

"We believe we have been able to identify the owner. We will update as we have more information! Thank you everyone for your incredible leads and tips," they said.

KGW News reports that the former owner was interviewed by Clark County Animal Protection and Control and cited for animal cruelty for abandoning him.

We hope this gorgeous pooch finally got the forever home he deserves.