'He Was Pretty Close To Dying': Emaciated Dog Found Abandoned In Leechburg
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LEECHBURG (KDKA) -- An emaciated dog, found covered in fleas, was found in the middle of the road in Armstrong County. Now, humane officials are trying to figure out how he ended up there in such bad condition.
Though he may not look like he is, the dog's been given the name Lucky.
He was found abandoned in Leechburg.
"A Good Samaritan, who was driving by, and saw him in the middle of the road and stopped," said Mindy James, a humane officer. "He was a wreck, to put it mildly."
Officials say the little Maltese was living on borrowed time.
"By the looks and condition he was in, he was pretty close to dying," James said. "He was covered in feces and fleas, his back end was scabbed over and bloody, his head was scabbed over and bloody."
KDKA's Ross Guidotti Reports:
Determined to find out who was responsible for Lucky's situation, James immediately went to work.
Turns out, Lucky had an identification chip from a previous owner who gave the dog up to another party due to financial hardships.
In better times, with his original owner, Lucky was a healthy 15 pounds. But, now, officials say he's down to just five pounds and has a host of other health issues.
"He has diabetes, he has hepatitis and Lyme disease," James said.
James is now trying to locate Lucky's most recent owner.
"If we do find an owner, and we have leads, they could face charges of animal neglect," she said.
She also has some advice for those looking to surrender a dog.
"Your best bet to re-home a dog is to go through a rescue or humane society," James said.
Unfortunately, the latest update on Lucky late Friday afternoon was that the dog had taken a turn for the worst, but veterinarians were working to help him.
If you would like to help Lucky, donations are being accepted for his extensive medical care. You can contribute through: donate@pawsacrosspittsburgh.com
And if you have information on the case, you are being asked to contact Paws Across Pittsburgh and Humane Officer Mindy James at 724-762-9060 or by emailing her at mindy@pawsacrosspittsburgh.com
For additional information, visit the Paws Across Pittsburgh website at: http://www.pawsacrosspittsburgh.com/
