It’s a dog owner’s responsibility to make sure their pet is staying in good health and is eating right, and you need to help them if they get out of shape.
Unfortunately, one owner apparently decided to simply leave their pet for dead when things got out of control.
In May, a dog crate was found along Route 80 in New Jersey… and in side was a suffering, severely overweight chihuahua. The poor dog was double the normal body weight, and was disabled because he couldn’t even lift himself.
The dog was about eight-years-old. Left behind in a cage in the middle of the highway, it’s presumed he was abandoned by previous, neglectful owners who didn’t want to deal with his health crisis.
Instead, he was taken in by Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge. They named the dog Stanley. The workers were shocked and saddened by his condition.
“Stanley was completely immobile, frozen in fear and due to his distressing physical condition,” the refuge wrote on Facebook. “All four of his legs are so badly deformed that Stanley is unable to walk.”
However, they didn’t give up on the poor dog. Stanley was brought to a foster home, and began the process of losing weight and learning how to move again… even though it was clear it would be a long road ahead.
Stanley was only able to drag his body with his front legs, dragging his belly on the floor, and ends up going in a circle. He will need to lose enough weight to be fitted for a wheelchair.
Stanley’s health might be a work-in-progress, but for now he’s at least happy to be in a better place.
“Stanley is now being loved and cared for in his foster home,” the shelter wrote on Instagram.
“Between his dietary and veterinary care, Stanley is already seeing progress in his weight loss, and his team fully expects him to lose a significant amount of weight in the coming weeks.”
He’s also been given a mobility device. His story is a reminder that it’s never too late for a recovery and a second chance, even if his old owners thought so.
“His glowing smile is a reminder that we all didn’t just quit on little Stanley, right when he thought humanity had,” the shelter wrote.
We’re so glad Stanley is in a better home, and hope he will continue to thrive with his incredible health recovery journey.
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