The dog was lame and couldn’t walk. The owner would have found her if he would have returned to rescue her... but he chose not to. And now he wants the dog back. The nerve...
One of the accounts I read said the dog stopped following, but that she was still capable of moving. She was just tired and bloody and wouldn’t go further.
She was found in a hole between rocks. I doubt the original owner stuffed her in there. I also doubt the original owner COULD have found her, although I think he owed her the effort of trying.