DETROIT – It’s a disturbing and disgusting trend that animal rescuers and Detroiters say has plagued Detroit’s Rouge Park for decades: dogs and cats abandoned, abused, and left for dead in one of the city’s largest parks. But the City of Detroit says it now has a plan.
“Another one dumped in Rouge Park, oh my God,” said Ricky Vendramini, as he recorded one of the latest horrific finds: a decaying dog inside a crate on May 7, 2026.
The most recent disturbing discoveries
The heartbreaking reality played out again this week after a severely emaciated puppy was spotted wandering near traffic inside the park.
The dog, now named Lucky Boy, had nearly been hit by a car before being rescued by Ron Williams and Ricky Vendramini, two men who said they patrol the area almost daily in search of abandoned animals.
“These animals are just as important as the humans in my opinion,” Williams said.
Lucky Boy, with his ribs sticking out, was seen eagerly eating food and drinking water shortly after being rescued.
--> Has Detroit done anything about the dogs being dumped at Rouge Park?
Ron and Ricky said they are taking care of him until they can find a rescue, because they said they do not want to bring him to a shelter.
“We come down here almost every day to try and see if we can help a dog,” Vendramini said.
But these folks and animal advocates said it’s unfortunate how often animals aren’t found in time, or, even worse, never had a chance.
Williams and Vendramini told Local 4 they have recently discovered several deceased dogs in and around Rouge Park. Sarah Hall, who recently met the pair while helping search the area, said the discoveries left her shaken.
“[I am] disgusted. I lost sleep. I haven’t really been back since,” Hall said.
One of the dogs was found badly decomposed inside a crate on Spinoza Drive. Another discovery made the following day was even more disturbing: two plastic bags with deceased dogs inside.
“It was what appeared to be a dog with its arms and legs strung up, and then his legs strung down, wrapped in a plastic bag,” Hall said.
“Later, when police came, they did find another dog and that black bag as well,” Hall added.
Local 4 has investigated animal dumping in Rouge Park for years. Previous reporting documented long-standing concerns from rescuers and residents who say the park has repeatedly become a dumping ground for neglected, abandoned, abused, and even animals that had been shot and killed.
One man reported finding up to 45 dogs in a single week.
Detroit Dog Rescue: ‘We need a task force’
“There is still a massive issue with dogs being dumped in Rouge and Palmer Park,” Rinaldi told Local 4 previously.
Rinaldi said Monday the problem stretches back “forever,” and continues to impact both animals and people living nearby.
“We have seen this happen before Detroit Dog Rescue was formed, which was over fifteen years ago,” Rinaldi said Monday. “Rouge Park has been a continuous dumping ground for live and dead dogs, and we continue to rescue dogs in the area.”
Rinaldi added that it’s even more concerning for residents and children in the area who witness the dumping. They could also be in danger because of the dogs, and witnessing the “horrific bodies of these dogs” is another layer as well.
Rinaldi said residents have repeatedly reported the issue and said dogs have also been dumped near the historic Buffalo Soldiers barn, creating safety concerns around the horses kept there.
Rinaldi has also said, “We need a task force.”
She previously proposed, in 2024, creating a task force in partnership with Local 4 to increase activity, programming, and veterinary resources in the park while helping deter crime.
“Detroit Dog Rescue was willing to find funding for the project,” Rinaldi said. “That idea was turned down by the [city’s] past administration’s representatives.”
Rescuers and residents told Local 4 on Monday (May 18) they want immediate action from the city, including installing surveillance cameras, adding patrols, and increasing community reporting of animal abuse. They also said they want more funding for rescues because “these animals need somewhere to go.”
Hall said she’s worried the issue will continue to escalate if it’s ignored.
“We don’t have any more time,” Hall said. “If people are dumping dead dogs here on the regular, they can dump worse, and it’s just a matter of time before we start finding people on the side of the road in bags.”
The city: cameras are coming
Local 4 did receive a response from the City of Detroit regarding the recent discoveries in Rouge Park. The city told Local 4 that as the weather warms up, it receives more reports of lost or stray dogs in the parks across the city, including Rouge Park.
“The two reports of deceased and decomposing dogs this month are heartbreaking and disturbing,” General Services Director Crystal Perkins said. “Our animal control investigators did respond. Contact the Detroit police’s animal cruelty officer if you have any additional information on either case.
Please contact 313-922-DOGS.”
The city added that it is “actively working to improve safety in our parks by installing cameras in Rouge, Eliza Howell, Chandler, and Maheras Gentry Parks.”
According to the city, community engagement meetings have already taken place, and the contract is expected to go before the city council in the coming months.
Officials said the proposed cameras would be installed in select areas of the parks and linked to Detroit’s Green Light program.
“The proposed cameras will be in select areas of the park, so we will still need the community’s eyes and ears. If you see animal abuse or neglect in Detroit, please call 313-922-DOGS.
If you actively see a crime taking place, please call 911,” Perkins said.