A pregnant hound was found in New Kent County, Virginia, on January 19, 2026, with wire wrapped so tightly around her neck that her head had swollen and she could barely breathe.
The dog, later named Maude, was spotted on Eltham Road near the intersection with New Kent Highway over the weekend before she was caught by deputies and rushed to an emergency vet.
Chief Deputy Joey McLaughlin of the New Kent County Sheriff’s Office described what responders found: the dog was visibly in severe pain, appeared malnourished, and had wire cutting deep into her neck. “The dog was transported to an emergency vet,” he said.
Investigators initially suspected the wire had been placed on Maude intentionally. By Tuesday, however, the New Kent Sheriff’s Office Animal Protection unit updated their assessment, saying Maude was likely the victim of a cable snare trap, the kind typically used to catch wildlife. These traps work like a zip tie, tightening continuously as an animal struggles against them.
The snare found on Maude lacked a breakaway failsafe, which meant it kept constricting. Under Virginia law, traps of this type are required to be checked every 24 hours and must have a safety mechanism to prevent exactly this kind of injury. Whether those rules were followed remains part of the investigation.
“Based on her injuries, we believe Maude may have suffered with this cable around her neck for some time,” officials wrote on Facebook. “The pain she endured is heartbreaking. Our team is doing everything possible to save her.”
With Maude carrying a puppy, veterinary teams were working to save two lives at once. Her estimated care costs came to around $10,000. The New Kent community responded within 24 hours, raising enough to cover her bills entirely, with donations pouring in from across Virginia and the rest of the country. Any remaining funds, the shelter said, would go toward emergency care for other animals in need.
By Thursday, January 22, the shelter shared that Maude was doing “exceptionally better.” Her neck had begun healing and the swelling in her face had gone down. “We can’t believe this is the same dog!” the shelter posted.
On her first day back at the shelter after leaving the vet’s office, Maude delivered her puppy naturally. The shelter confirmed she is a mother to one puppy, describing the little one as “a spoiled only child.”
The investigation into how Maude ended up in the snare, who set the trap, and where it was placed is still ongoing. The New Kent County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information to call 804-966-9500.
