On Friday, the owner received citations for animal cruelty and neglect for failure to provide medical care. The owner, who has not been identified, faces up to six months in jail, three years' probation and a $2,500 fine.
The dog, who is receiving intensive care from PACC's medical team, was brought in to the shelter by her owner, who told the staff members to euthanize the dog.
The dog was filthy, infested with maggots, and nearly starved to death. Dr. Karyn Carlson called it one of the worst animal abuse cases she's ever seen.
"We actually couldn't even touch her because she had so many burrs and debris in her coat. We couldn't handle her," Carlson said.
Medical staff had to shave off all of the dog's fur to reveal the extent of her condition.
“She had so much matting around her hind end and so much fecal matter back there that maggots had taken over. She hadn’t been able to defecate normally for who knows how long,” Carlson said.
The dog is partially blind from eye infections and suffers from dental disease. The owner told PACC the dog was kept outside because, "the dog was too dirty to interact with their child."
Carlson said it's impossible for her to understand why and how the owner could do that.
“I thought this is so sad and horrific. And how could any pet live like this?”
Under the care of PACC staff, the dog is already showing signs of improvement. With a sweater draped over her bony frame she eagerly scarfed down a bowl of food and basked in the attention.
"She's perky and eating and getting around well," Carlson said.
The veterinarians expect her to make a full recovery. The dog will have to have several teeth extracted and may lose vision in one eye. Eventually, PACC staff plan to put her up for adoption.
The cost of medical care for her recovery is already adding up. Shelter officials say they rely heavily on community donations to help with those expenses.
If you’re interested in donating go to www.pima.gov/animalcare/give or call 520-724-5984.
(Tucson News Now - May 20, 2016)
The 'owners' name should be made public. There's no reason to protect this piece of excrement.
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