Sgt. Wilbur Gross along with Harrison County Animal Control officer Paul Colson were called to a 203 W. Penn St. residence, which had been the former residence of Donna Golden and her husband Edward Golden.
Gross said the dog was severely underweight and covered in fleas.
Colson said the dog, believed to be a border collie mix, was at least 50 pounds underweight, weighing only 33 pounds.
“There were several calls for strays in that area recently,” Gross said.
According to Animal Control officer Alan Fryman, there was no food or water inside the residence.
“It was nearly starved to death,” Fryman said. “In all my years, this is the worst [case] I’ve seen where the animal is still alive.”
Fryman added the dog is being held at the Flora Shropshire Animal Shelter.
“There’s worse things than dying,” Fryman said. “Living like that would be worse.”
He said he will be seeking charges of cruelty to animals against the couple.
Authorities were contacted by the property owner, Randy Northcutt regarding the abandoned dog.
Fryman asked that unwanted animals be dropped at the shelter.
“It’s free,” he said. “There’s no reason people should lockup and leave animals behind.”
Fryman said animals can be brought to the shelter during business hours or even dropped in the box at night if the owners are too embarrassed to go inside.
Fryman and Colson can be reached at the shelter at 234-7138.
