Couple found a scared dog dragging a long rusty chain down the street — then neighbor’s footage revealed the horror behind it

They brought home the timid dog who wouldn’t eat, but soon his playful side began to shine.

PUBLISHED 2 HOURS AGO

(L) Restrained barking working dog, (R) Mature couple showing concern while using a laptop. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Stuart Walmsley, (R) Vladimir Vladimirov)

A couple strolling in their neighborhood on Sunday, November 9, 2025 stumbled upon a terrified young dog dragging a long rusty chain down their street in Nashville. Taken aback by the heartbreaking sight, the couple decided to investigate the matter and were soon going from door to door looking for his owner. Eventually, a neighbor informed them about security footage that uncovered the horror that preceded the lost chained dog. The couple also noticed an overwhelming transformation in the poor pup that spoke louder than his distressing state.

Dog tied with a chain resting close to a trunk of tree in the field - Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Jose A. Bernat Bacete — Dog tied with a chain resting close to a trunk of tree in the field. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Jose A. Bernat Bacete)

Shelby and Adison Harvat were in their neighborhood when they saw the dog dragging an eight-foot rusty chain on Skyridge Drive. They embarked on a mission to search for the dog’s owner in an attempt to rescue him, but were not prepared for the unthinkable. A neighbor reviewed their security camera footage and spotted a car, identified as a silver Nissan Altima, driving up and down the road around 9:30 a.m. with the dog chained to the car. It was devastating to see the poor dog struggling to keep up with the car’s pace. “It blows my mind that somebody would be just openly in the middle of a Sunday doing that around the neighborhood,” Adison told WSMV4.

Elderly couple worried and afraid. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Motortion) — Elderly couple worried and afraid. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Motortion)

Following the chilling discovery, other neighbors began checking their security cameras and found a similar scene in their footage. Fortunately, the chain had snapped, leaving the dog with another shot at life. It is unnerving to imagine his state otherwise. The Harvats were determined to rescue the young dog and find him a safe place to live, unlike what his original owners provided him with. “When we got him, he wasn’t eating, drinking, and any type of movement or any type of noise at all. His tail’s tucked between his legs; he was hiding,” Adison recalled. They rang up the non-emergency line for Metro Animal Care and Control (MACC), who took the dog to their shelter the next morning.

Dog near a car. (Representative Image Source: Unsplash | osher mizrahi)

However, the couple was amazed by the dog’s friendly nature despite enduring the gruesome act by some humans. They brought home a timid and shaking dog who refused to interact or eat. But it was only a matter of time before he began showing his playful nature. “He instantly got excited that we were downstairs. He’s going in between your legs, and his tail’s wagging. He did a full 180 within one day,” he marked. Meanwhile, Shelby still struggled to wrap her head around the fact that the owners could do such a thing to a poor animal. “How could you ever do that? And just chain him up behind a car?” she condemned.

The dog was rescued unharmed and was set to be put up for adoption or find a foster home, but animal control officials and the Harvats intend to find the culprit through the vehicle’s license plate number and hold them accountable. The dog will have to wait before the case is concluded to move into a loving new home. According to the Shelter Animals Count, 85% of people arrested for animal abuse or cruelty are likely to have had multiple past arrests and prior felonies.