This is the viral moment a dog was filmed running behind its owner’s car after ‘being dumped by the side of the road’ – but all is not as it seems.
The short clip sparked a furious response online, with thousands calling for the alleged abandoner to be arrested (and worse).
Even animal rights group PACMA branded him an ‘abuser’ and demanded he be identified and punished.
However, according to Diario de Almeria, it was all a big misunderstanding.
In the footage, a white and brown pup is seen desperately trying to catch up with the small black vehicle on a road in Mojacar.
A young woman travelling in a car behind with her mother, and who is recording the moment, can be heard calling the driver in front a series of expletive names in Spanish.
The mother and daughter flash and honk their horn, before the man in front finally pulls over.
According to Diario de Almeria, as they filmed and shouted at him, he picked up the dog and drove off, before ‘turning down a dirt road’ which leads to his farmhouse.
Due to the lack of communication, the mother and daughter assumed he had attempted to abandon the animal and shared the footage online.
They went to Mojacar Local Police headquarters to accuse him of animal abuse, providing the video as evidence.
Officers visited the owner, named Manolo – who does not have social media – to give him a chance to explain himself – which he was able to.
In a Facebook post today, his friend revealed: ‘When leaving the farmhouse, the gate was left open, and the dog ran from behind the car.
‘Obviously, the driver didn’t notice this and didn’t stop until the vehicle behind him (the one filming) turned on the headlights.
‘The dog hasn’t been abandoned, by any means; in fact, he’s in perfect condition and cared for with much, much love, as can be seen in the images.’
The dog’s owner is grateful for being told that Gertru was running after the car, but laments ‘the insults received from those filming the video’.
He said that ‘what hurts the most are the unverified reports and the comments from those who claim to be animal rights activists.’
The family who uploaded the video to TikTok confirmed to Diario de Almeria that they have already spoken to Manolo and that everything has been clarified.
