One morning, employees at an Omaha accounting firm made a horrifying discovery: a small dog, bound in duct tape, discarded in a dumpster behind their building.

At first, they believed the sounds coming from the container were from a trapped raccoon. But when they opened the lid, they were met with a shocking and heartbreaking sight—a helpless dog whose head, legs, and tail were completely wrapped in tape.

The animal's muzzle was sealed shut. Tape covered his eyes. His front and back paws were bound, immobilizing him. Even his tail had been taped.

“I have never seen anything like it,” Kevin Wiederin, a partner at the firm who helped uncover the dog, told KETV. “It was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t imagine doing that to another living being, let alone a helpless little dog and then just throwing it away like trash.”

A dog was found duct-taped inside a dumpster behind an Omaha office.

Rescue in the Nick of Time

Animal Control was called immediately. Officers arrived within minutes and carefully retrieved the pup from the dumpster. According to the Nebraska Humane Society (NHS), just 30 minutes later, the trash truck arrived to empty the bin.

The dog was rushed to NHS, where veterinary staff sedated him and began removing the tape. To clear away the food and debris caked into his fur, they had to shave him. Despite the trauma and visible skin irritation, the dog—later identified as Leo—showed signs of resilience.

“He perked up and was wagging his tail,” the shelter shared on social media.

Photo: Facebook / Nebraska Humane Society

His muzzle, eyes, paws, and tail were fully bound with tape.

Microchip Leads to Emotional Reunion

Once freed, Leo was scanned for a microchip. That scan connected him to his owner, Erin Dillon-Pasillas, who had reported him missing on April 11. She believes Leo slipped out of the house while she was taking her son to school.

“Every day got more stressful… it was just crickets,” she told KETV.

Erin had actually been at NHS searching the lost dog listings when she received a text alert that Leo had been found.

“This dog is like the most low-key, happy dog. I can’t even fathom it,” she told WOWT.

Photo: Facebook / Nebraska Humane Society

Humane Society staff had to shave him to remove debris.

Who Did This?

Leo’s case has rattled the Omaha community. No surveillance footage exists near the dumpster where he was found, making the search for answers more difficult. NHS is asking anyone with information to contact Animal Control at 402-444-7800 ext. 1. Initially, the shelter offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. That amount has since increased to $5,000, WOWT reports.

While Leo is now safe and recovering at home, his family and the wider public are still reeling.

“They deserve to be in jail,” Erin told KAKE News. “These are family pets that people are connected to and there’s no reason to hurt an animal like this.”

Ongoing Investigation

The Nebraska Humane Society continues to investigate this case and has vowed to do everything in its power to identify the person or persons responsible. In the meantime, Leo is healing in the comfort of home, surrounded by love.

The tragedy of what happened to him is a stark reminder of how cruel some can be—but also of how vital community vigilance and microchipping are in ensuring lost pets find their way back.