Dogs Abandoned In S. Fla Find New Hope With Rescue Groups
BOCA RATON (CBS4) - Boca Veterinary Clinic veterinarian Dr. Lesley Hack chuckles as she feeds dog treats to an eager 10-month-old brown terrier mix named Duke.
"Don't worry we won't run out of food," she laughs.
You can't blame Duke for begging.
He weighs 47 pounds, and is slightly underweight. But that is a miracle, considering six weeks ago he weighed half that, and looked horrible. His ribs and hip bones stuck out through his skin, and his face was gaunt and weary.
"It's the single most emaciated dog I've ever seen that survived," Dr. Hack told CBS4's Natalia Zea.
Dr. Hack and her staff nursed Duke back to health after a rescue group took him out of the Miami-Dade Animal Shelter a month and a half ago.
"He was extremely sick," said Dr. Hack. "He had an upper respiratory disease and was full of parasites."
And Dr. Hack believes a human owner caused this suffering because Duke's stomach was empty- no trash, no scraps, nothing a normal stray would have eaten.
"This dog didn't pass any abnormal material which made me think he had been in a home and simply had not been fed," predicted Dr. Hack. "It's despicable."
Duke was found on the street with his brother Bo who was also starving. A Lighthouse Point rescue group took Bo in, and is still looking for a loving home for him.
For Duke, the recovery has been long and tough. Soon he will fly to the "From Stetson With Love" dog rescue group in Washington State that has been paying his bills. They will make sure he will finally belong to a family that deserves him.
Despite the vet giving a big discount for Duke's care, the costs add up. If you'd like to help you can donate here.
Click Here if you or someone you know is interested in adopting Bo.
