FL: Abused Puppy Brought to Animal Shelter
 

ABUSED PUPPY BROUGHT INTO ANIMAL SHELTER
by Maggie Newland
Last updated on: 3/29/2006 6:31:13 PM

LEE COUNTY (Fort Myers, Florida): Wednesday morning a young man and woman found a purebred English Springer Spaniel on the side of the road and brought him into Lee County Animal Shelter.

Employees at the shelter explained they thought the situation was weird because the couple did not offer their names and they brought the dog to their back door instead of the front. "We normally don't take animals in through the rear of the building. People come in through the front door," said Ria Brown from Lee County Animal Services.

Brown continued to say that she didn’t bother to ask the couple any questions because when she saw the condition the dog was in, taking care of him took priority. Brown explained that the dog was so frail you could see and feel every bone on the dog’s body. They used blankets and heating pads to keep the dog warm. The dog is also currently receiving nutrients intravenously.

"We see cruelty cases everyday but this one is so much worse," said Brown.
Luckily, the animal had a microchip embedded under his skin which was traced back to a local breeder, then to a pet store.

The man who bought the dog from the pet store explained that he gave the dog to someone else. Deputies are now trying to figure out who owned the dog last, who dropped him off to the shelter, and whether this is a case of animal cruelty. "You can't fault someone if it's not intentional but when it is intentional there's just no excuse for allowing an animal to end up like that," said Brown.

The animal was humanely euthanized after nothing else could be done for him.
If someone is found to be guilty of animal cruelty, they could face a fine for as much as $10,000 and five years in jail.

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readar...id=6462&z=3&p=

That is truly a sad situation. I hope the dog will recover from all this. And I hope they figure out who had the dog last and really sock it to them.

im just biting my tongue right now cause what i want to say i cannot
say....

How sad! That owner needs to be slowly starved just as they have done to this innocent creature! :(

To be SO starved he had to be put to sleep is just so sad....He's no longer suffering now....but I sure hope they track down the people responsible for him....and if it was cruelty - proscecute them.

He may also have ran off and just couldn't found his way home again ? Poor baby...he must have been suffering so bad.

So sad....... :(