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What's true, what isn't after a post about a freezing dog in Georgia went viral

"People who get dogs, you're supposed to love and care for them - not mistreat them and leave them outside."

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. -- A dog was rescued from the cold in a Douglasville community after a Facebook post prompted outrage from residents.

Comments poured in expressing concern for the animal. And people weren't just voicing their concerns online.

"People who get dogs, you're supposed to love and care for them - not mistreat them and leave them outside," resident Aja Jones said.

Neighbors were concerned about the dog who they believed was living at a home where a K9 officer also resides. However, those rumors don't appear to have been accurate.

11Alive contacted the officer in question and said that his relatives live there and his father of the same name owns that house. However, the officer, who asked that his name not be used, said he works in another county entirely.

The officer said he is well-versed in K9 training and was disheartened to hear that his name was connected to this incident.

Captain Brad Stafford with Douglasville Police said that officers noticed the malnourished dog while out on a separate call in the same area on Wednesday.

Officers then notified animal control who came out to the location.

"Gave a notice to the homeowner; homeowner brought the dog in," Douglas County spokesperson Rick Martin said.

He said Animal Control then made a follow-up visit to the same location on Thursday and found the dog outside of its enclosure and still out in the cold weather.

"Today, this morning, to find the dog outside running around, that's when the dog was taken in," Martin said.

According to Douglas County Animals Control, a number of pet owners in the county have been leaving their pets outside during these frigid temperatures and have been taking these dogs in their care.

A positive update for this story: Martin said the dog is now eating and has been examined. He was found to be slightly underweight, Martin added.

These neighbors are just glad the dog was rescued.

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