South Carolina: Stray puppy leads horseback riders to injured dog which had been dragged by vehicle and left to die

Update to story: "South Carolina: Bill Ray Huskey, 48, charged with cruelty to animals over dragged dog"

SOUTH CAROLINA -- Laura Collins is still trying to understand how someone could intentionally hurt a shepherd mix puppy and leave him to die.

"I just can't imagine the pain that he must have been in," said Collins.

 

While riding horses at Carolina Adventure World on Sunday, Collins and her friends came across a stray puppy. As they followed him down the path, he led them to the injured puppy crumpled under a shrub.

"When I got off of my horse to check on him, I could tell that he was very badly hurt and needed medical attention," said Collins.

Knowing they couldn't leave him, Jean Crawford says the ladies got to work.

"We had to cradle him, so that's what we did with a saddle pad and that helped," said Crawford. "Alura and I helped get the dog up on Erica's horse and we took our time getting back to the trailer which wasn't far away."

The group rushed the dog to the care of Suzan Knight at the Fairfield Animal Hospital thinking he had been in a fight. She told them his injuries were not from an accident.

Knight says the puppy, now known as Emanuel, was strapped to the back of a vehicle and dragged.

"You don't typically see those types of wounds on the tops of their feet, all four feet, on both sides of the chest, on the knees and underneath unless it is an animal that has been intentionally [dragged]," said Knight.

 

 

  

Photos: Fairfield Animal Hospital

Emanuel has already completed one surgery to repair his legs and clean his paws that are missing their pads and is expected to recover.

Knight says he'll need care for at least three to four weeks and his vet bills already total over $1,000.

"That's just two days, two days and one surgery," said Knight. "So just for the wounds to heal you're looking at around $4,000."

His case isn't uncommon in the county. Knight says animal dumping happens frequently, so much so that News19's cameras came across two other injured puppies and one dead puppy in the same area Emanuel was found.

While getting footage, the news crew found other stray dogs

Collins says it was her first time riding in that spot and believes it was meant to be.

"I certainly feel like that we were put on that trail riding for a purpose and that we had divine intervention in finding him," said Collins.

 

Day 5: bandage change

Day 5: bandage change

If you'd like to donate to Emanuel's care and you live in the area, you can visit the Fairfield Animal Hospital at 970 Columbia Road in Winnsboro. Or, you can go to their official GoFundMe page.

(WLTX - Dec 15, 2015)