CANADA -- A helpless little dog was bound at the feet and mouth with electrical tape, then discarded to die as extreme swelling slowly cut off his airway.
Outraged animal cruelty investigators are calling it a horrible case of torture after the 13-pound dog (later discovered to be a Patterdale Terrier) was found abandoned and dying next to Canadian Tire on Walker Road.
“It’s definitely disturbing to see it,” said Melanie Coulter, executive director of the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society. “This is just such incredible cruelty for absolutely no reason. This dog suffered a lot and almost didn’t survive.”
Investigators believe the dog, now named Justice, was dumped late Wednesday or early Thursday.
A man discovered Justice lying in the grass around 1 p.m. Thursday as he walked his own dogs beside Canadian Tire.
Humane society officers responded to find the tiny dog with his muzzle, paws and neck tightly bound by electrical tape. The dog couldn’t move. He was having a hard time breathing. His mouth and paws were extremely swollen. Officers rushed the dog to a veterinarian where it received immediate care.
Even after the tape was removed, he was initially unable to stand. His mouth and feet were still swollen Friday.
Coulter said the dog ikely wouldn’t have survived much longer if he hadn’t been found.
“His mouth had become so swollen that he would have been unable to breathe,” said Coulter. “He was already having difficulty breathing. With the swelling continuing, he likely would have been unable to breathe within a few more hours.”
Despite his extreme suffering, the humane society said Justice should make a full recovery.
“It will take some time, but fortunately because he was found in time we expect him to be able to recover,” said Coulter.
Justice is about seven years old and is not neutered. He is a small breed dog with a cropped tail and only weighs about 13 pounds.
The humane society said he had a pre-existing dental and mouth issue that would have caused him to have bad breath for some time. There is some kind of growth in his mouth that will have to be taken care of.
“He will definitely need some work there, but right now we’re focusing on the immediate swelling and other issues as a result of the experience yesterday,” Coulter said.
The humane society is working with Windsor police to find out who tortured the dog.
“He is a very distinctive looking dog, he is a very small dog, so we’re hoping that someone recognizes him,” said Coulter. “That will definitely assist the investigation if we could trace who the owner was.”
One irate dog-lover is taking matters into her own hands.
Jennifer Ozyer-McMillan started a GoFundMe account called Justice for Justice to help the humane society pay for the dog’s care. But she also plans to put up some money raised as a reward for anyone who can help track down the torturer.
“This guy has to be found,” said Ozyer-McMillan.
She said she’s worried that if the person isn’t caught, another animal or even a person could be at risk.
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| Little Justice has since recovered |
“This is where it starts and it will escalate into something else,” said Ozyer-McMillan.
Anyone with information about who tortured and abandoned Justice can call the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society at 519-966-5751 ext. 16 or Crime Stoppers at 519-258-8477. You can also reach Crime Stoppers online at catchcrooks.com.
(Windsor Star - Dec 18, 2015)
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