Dog abandoned, tied to tree in frigid temps

BALTIMORE, Maryland (KTVU) - A Baltimore teacher was walking her dogs on a chilly morning last week when she stumbled across a heartbreaking scene. 

Stephanie Dagenhart saw a dog tied to a post with some belongings. The note said, "This is Duke; he has his favorite toy, his crate and his food, and he needs a new home and someone to love him."

Dagenhart tells KTVU she was shocked. She looked around to see if someone was in the area - but she realized since he had his food and crate with him he had been abandoned, although she didn't want to believe it. 

Duke made a growling noise so Dagenhart decided to call for help while keeping her distance. 

"I’m such a dog lover, I just couldn't imagine. I had my own two dogs with me when I arrived at the park and immediately called 911, and then called my fiancé to come take my dogs because I didn't want to leave Duke, but didn't want to attempt to approach him with my two dogs," she said. 

Duke officially found his forever home on Friday. He was adopted by U.S. Army Specialist Wallace White. "Wallace didn't even realize he had picked out a celebrity dog until a friend pointed out the news stories to him. He just happened to fall in love Duke just for being Duke." 

The shelter thanked the neighbors of Patterson Park, which includes Dagenhart, for getting Duke the help he so desperately needed.