Truck driver Dean Trounson, who found Tank wandering along a remote Western Australian highway and later fostered him, says a rescue group took the American Bulldog back after a veterinary appointment and has not returned him. Trounson disputes the group’s explanation that Tank is a high medical needs dog and is seeking an independent veterinary examination.

Tank escaped from his crate while being transported to Perth in June and was found after photos were shared online; Trounson began fostering him in late July. The rescue group’s founder, Natalie Plunkett, said Tank’s welfare was its priority but would not publicly disclose the reasons for reclaiming him. An email from Warwick Veterinary Hospital reportedly said Tank had Pilbara tick disease and that most dogs do well after treatment; the article does not include the rescue group’s full account of its concerns.