Left for Dead: Dog Tied to Train Tracks East of Palm Desert

Riverside County Animal Services announced Tuesday that they're looking for a new home for this lovable dog– who was recently found tied to train tracks east of Palm Desert and is now living in Thousand Palms.

"Banjo" the dog was saved only when a train engineer spotted the little guy tied up in Mecca, and was able to engage an emergency braking system, according to John Welsh of the Department of Animal Services.

"The engineer noticed a man walking away from the tracks and something left behind atop the tracks," Welsh explained of the April 2 incident.  "The object was a live, 10-month-old poodle-terrier mix."

According to Welsh, the dog was found last week, but it took some time to get all the specifics confirmed with railroad officials about what happened.  Now that he's received the go-ahead to release all the details in the incident, he hopes someone will take to Banjo's story and help find him a new home.

Among the details learned in the case, is that a 78-year-old man was stopped and questioned by Union Pacific agents, but they decided to let him go as "the man appeared to be confused, or senile and didn't fully understand what he had done."

"It's probably one of the worst things I've seen," said Agent Sal Pina, who investigated the case. "I've never seen something like this."

The elderly man apparently told Pina that the family didn't want the dog anymore, and he didn't know what do to with him, so he took him to the tracks.

The poodle-terrier mix was picked up by an Animal Services officer and taken to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms, where he was examined and cleaned up, according to Welsh.  One of the Veterinary Techs nicknamed him "Banjo" as a reference to old traffic signals still seen on various rail lines, he said.

"The dog appears very healthy and friendly,"  Welsh said.  "She took the dog home to give it extra care."

Banjo is available for immediate adoption, but a special application process will be held in his case, Welsh said.  Those interested in adoption can email shelterinfo@rivcocha.org and "share why their family would be best for Banjo."