‘Bewildered and confused’: US woman faces charges after rescuing abandoned dog from freezing blizzard
A US woman is facing legal trouble after rescuing an abandoned dog during a recent snowstorm. Dason Garner, a veterinary technician and groomer who took in a Labrador retriever via doorbell video, saw the dog dumped on her porch, but deputies said she didn’t follow proper procedures.Garner was charged with keeping a stray animal, failing to surrender and interfering with law enforcement after refusing to turn over the dog to authorities. Extreme cold is dangerous for anyone, including pets, and Garner said she was unable to bring the dog to a shelter due to its condition.“In her situation, [and] “As a veterinary technician and groomer, I didn’t expect she would come that way,” Garner told WRAL News. “She didn’t stand a chance in a shelter.”Garner added: “It’s very heartbreaking and I don’t understand how you can do something so cute. She’s so cute.”
NEW: North Carolina woman charged after taking in a stray dog she saw dumped on the street during snowstorm
Dason Garner, a veterinary tech and groomer, saw a video on Ring of a Labrador being dumped on a porch in 21°F
She picked up the dog, took her home, contacted the animal… pic.twitter.com/p1KEmLjE1
— Unlimited L (@unlimited_ls) February 4, 2026
The dog had been missing for two months before Garner found it. The animal was returned to its owner less than 24 hours after being rescued. Ashley Baker, the person in the video who abandoned the dog, has been charged with animal abandonment.Garner said she was confused and frustrated about facing charges after trying to save the dog. “I’m confused. I’m confused. I have a lot of hard feelings right now. Unexpected court costs [and] Attorney fees, it all adds up. I mean, I have a two-year-old son and I just started going back to work. “A spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office said Garner was charged because deputies directed her to surrender the dog multiple times, including by contacting her family.Garner urged people not to abandon animals and said she would do the same thing again if another pet’s life was in danger. “Reach out to anyone. Anyone who loves animals will gladly accept them,” she said.Garner is due to appear in court later this month. Her family has set up a GoFundMe to help pay for her legal fees. The dog’s owner expressed deep gratitude for Garner’s actions.
