The officer found the small Yorkshire Terrier mix at the intersection of Bannister Road and Marion Drive on Monday and dropped him off with the Kansas City Pet Project to get him out of the extreme cold.
The dog's fur was dirty and heavily matted, according to a press release, and he had evidently been on his own for a significant amount of time.
When Kansas City Pet Project staff began to clean off his mats the following day, they discovered deep scars, scabs and gashes on his muzzle; the dog's previous owner evidently bound his muzzle shut and kept the restraint on until it either fell off or disintegrated into his skin.
With the constant friction of the restraint rubbing against his skin, none of his injuries ever had the opportunity to fully heal.
The dog has been named Bannister after the intersection where he was found. He is now living at the KC Animal Shelter, and KC Pet Project's Tori Fugate says that he has a sweet personality despite having been abused in the past.
If you would like to make a donation to help with Bannister's care, you can do so at the Kansas City Pet Project's website.
"On Monday, January 18th, a Kansas City, MO Police Officer brought a small Yorkshire Terrier mix in to the shelter that was found running along Bannister Road and Marion Drive to get him out of the extreme cold temperatures. The dog, that we have named Bannister, was severely matted around his face and neck and looked as though he had been out on his own for a while. Thinking that he was lost, we were working to find his family to get him back home.
"Then yesterday, our veterinary team sedated him to clean off his matts and what they found was truly disturbing. Someone had bound Bannisters mouth with a restraint, like a rubber band, and had left it around his mouth for a long time. Either the rubber band had fallen off on its own after some time or had disintegrated into the skin. He had scabs over the injuries that were desperately trying to heal. His muzzle is swollen from being bound and he has cuts into his lips. He is also very skinny and malnourished.
"He has since been cleaned up and is back to eating wet meals to try to put some weight back on him. Bannister is so sweet and has been a joy for our staff to work with, despite the cruel acts that were done against him. We will be moving him into a foster home so that he can rest and heal from his injuries. For those that would like to help Bannister, donations can made to our Bannister Medical Fund. We thank you for your support!"
(KSHB - Jan 20, 2016)
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