Cruelly Mistreated and Starved Rescue Dog Now Awaiting a Forever Home

In the City of Muskegon in freezing cold and wet weather conditions a dog had been left chained up and exposed to the elements, with no food or water. The one-year-old bulldog mix was spotted by a good Samaritan who immediately voiced their concerns to the proper authorities in the hopes of the starving, freezing puppy being saved.

Fortunately, Pound Buddies, a Muskegon-based dog shelter and rescue agency, responded to the concerns of the Samaritan by heading over to the house for a wellness check.

Lana Carson, the Executive Director of Pound Buddies, spoke on the discovery of the emaciated puppy, stating, “I really don’t know how someone can literally look out of the window and see an animal chained up in the freezing cold, knowing it was raining and that there was no water or food.”

Pound Buddies were able to liberate the young dog from its heavy chains and take it back to the shelter for care and treatment.

“In this situation, there were no provisions. There was no food, no insulant, no water and it was just blatant neglect,” explained Carson.

The young puppy has been shivering violently when it was rescued and was severely emaciated as a result of the lack of food available to it during its time in confinement. Carson also described how during the wellness check they noticed how the only bowls that had been left out for the pup contained dirty and leaves, with no sign of food or fresh water available within the vicinity.

Pound Buddies then elected to provide the owners of the neglected dog with 24 hours for them to correct how the dog was being treated or relinquish her to the proper authorities. However, the owners made no such effort to care for their dog, nor did they show any interest in surrendering her. It was only once the 24 hour period was up and Pound Buddies called the police that they chose to give her to shelter officials.

According to Carson, the young puppy had been left out for another night in the freezing late-November temperatures. In response to which she had chosen to dig a hole for herself in the mud in an attempt to conserve some of her body heat. She was found by officials to be curled up into a tight ball, shivering violently due to the frigid temperatures she was exposed to.

Allegedly the owners had shown complete disinterest in the wellbeing of their dog as well as showing no remorse for the way she had been treated and the condition she had inevitably wound up in.

Pound Buddies have affectionately named the abandoned pup Ladybug. She is seen as a symbol of good luck within the shelter.

“ I think she was fortunate that she had a little angel looking out for her,” Carson said.

Ladybug is now in the care of the loving staff at Pound Buddies, however, she still has a long way to full recovery having spent the first year of her life in such poor conditions. After a full check, it was reported that her skin was now in very poor condition due to the choke chain that had been placed around her neck, which caused severe chaffing and restricted breathing.

Carson has explained how, had Ladybug been left much longer in the situation she was in, it could have been a much worse situation for her to recovery from, with the potential for long-term damage.

Carson wishes to make it very clear that any owners thinking of leaving their pets outside in winter conditions need to ensure that they provide adequate shelter, insulted with straw (NOT hay). She also wants to stress that clothes and blankets should not be used as insulation in outdoor dog shelters as they can freeze when the temperature drops if they get damp, which will inevitably happen in humid or wet weather.

“Thank goodness for that good Samaritan who was concerned about the welfare of this dog,” Carson said, “we’re just so glad that he decided to report it before Ladybug had gotten to any more of a deteriorated state.”

Ladybug is currently undergoing veterinary treatment and exams to ensure she is healthy before leaving the shelter. This is being done with the aim of Ladybug being available for adoption to a loving forever home within the next week.

Ladybug has shown to be friendly with kids, dogs, and cats – making her an ideal dog for a family home.

Carson has explained that the person who adopts Ladybug will be getting an amazing dog. Furthermore, the person that chooses to adopt Ladybug will quite literally be saving the life of a puppy that had a miserable start, and who definitely would not have survived much longer in her previous living conditions.

If you’re thinking of adopting Ladybug, it is possible to watch her progress and keep updated via the Pound Buddies website as well as their Facebook page.