What in the world happened in little Harold’s life to lead him to the state that we found him in? Sadly, we’ll never know. Every time we see a case such as this, we can’t help but wonder how pets start out as cute, fluffy, and very much loved, then somewhere along the line, someone loses interest in them or worse, begins abusing or neglecting them. They sure don’t deserve it, and we sure are glad that we’re here at Associated Humane Societies to help every one that we can.
The latest to come through the doors of our Newark facility is Harold, a middle-aged shih tzu that was found in such a horrendously overgrown state, that the poor little guy could not even walk due to the matting that restricted the movement of his limbs. Harold was found on a Newark city street by a good samaritan that brought him in. Upon initial examination, Harold was found to have a gaping neck wound that was so infected that there was maggot activity in the area. The priority was to remove the massive amount of matting from this little dog’s body so he immediately headed over to the Newark groomer, Sandy, for a good, long spa day.
He’s feeling brand new already…
Once Harold was freed of his prison of tangles, the veterinarian was better able to assess his situation. The neck wound is very deep and was thoroughly cleaned and treated. Harold was found to be malnourished and dehydrated, in addition to having an eye infection, broken tail, and being generally weak. Medications were dispensed and Harold quickly began to feel better. A short time later, Harold was already up and about, and playing with toys with staff members! We’re very hopeful for a full recovery for this sweet little guy.
Harold has gone into foster care and will continue to be treated and monitored by our Newark veterinarian. Once he has made a full recovery, he will begin his search for a new home with a family that will never allow any harm to come to him again. Please stay tuned for more on Harold’s progress, and please make a donation to our ResQ Fund on behalf of Harold and the many other neglected and forgotten pets that come to us every day for help. Thanks for your continued support!
