Pup Banjo, rescued from train tracks, is adopted

RIVERSIDE, Calif., May 18 (UPI) -- An unwanted puppy whose owner left him tied to train tracks has been adopted by a California couple after a flood of offers, an animal shelter spokeswoman said.

Banjo, a fluffy 10-month-old poodle-terrier mix, went home with Jeff and Louisa Moore after Riverside County Animal Services got more than 1,300 emails -- and enough Internet traffic to crash the shelter's website -- offering the dog a home, the Los Angeles Times said Saturday.

Banjo's original owner, a 78-year-old man police said might not have realized fully what he was doing, tied the dog to train tracks. The dog was saved when a conductor was able to pull an emergency brake in time to avoid running him over.

The elderly man was first arrested then released to his family's care.

After his rescue, workers chose to name the pup after the old term for train traffic signals.

Joy Welch, a spokeswoman for the shelter, said the Moores were selected because shelter workers were moved by their care for the dog they already have and because Louisa Moore works for a pet supply store.

Offers to take in the puppy came from as far away as Puerto Rico and Canada.