Wire and rope binding its neck, pit bull left bleeding by roadside

URL: http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/66659-11-15-06.html

Jackie Schlotfeldt News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jschlotfeldt@news-bulletin.com

Meadow Lake A resident out for his morning walk came across a disturbing sight along Fenceline Road in Meadow Lake Monday. An adult pit bull dog lay bleeding from his nose and mouth, a rope and wire pulled tight around his neck.

The walker immediately called Annie Lawler, who has rescued more than 80 dogs and is well known in Meadow Lake for helping with stray and dumped animals.
When Lawler arrived, the dog was barely breathing. She loaded the dog in her truck and took it to Arrow Veterinary Clinic in Los Lunas for care.
"His face was swollen and his tongue was purple. There was also massive scarring on his back," Lawler said.
Dr. Ralph Zimmerman said the dog will recover from its injuries, but it will take some time.
"There was a lot of swelling around the neck," Zimmerman said. "His mouth was traumatized, his eyes are pretty bulging and he had lots of hemorrhages. God only knows what's happened to this guy."
What happened to the dog may never be known for sure, but Zimmerman said the rope was tied in a slip knot so the dog could have caught it on something and hung himself, in a sort of a hangman's noose.
"He has rope burns around his neck, and they're fresh, so he was fighting it awhile," Zimmerman said. "He bit his tongue, and the vessels in the back of his throat are broken and bleeding. His entire back is scar tissue, which isn't all that old because he still has some scabs over some of it."
The injuries to the dog's back could have been caused by the animal being dragged or perhaps having something hot or caustic poured on him. The veterinarian said the dog is missing quite a bit of skin and not all the injuries are old.
Despite the dog's injuries, Zimmerman said his condition looks a lot worse than it is, and right now his rescuers want to keep him hydrated and get him to eat. "It's going to take some time for him to bounce back," he said.
Lawler said that, if it wasn't for Zimmerman, she didn't know what she would do. "He has been my savior," Lawler said. "He knows his business, and he's a class act."
Although Lawler will cover the expense of caring for the dog, Zimmerman said he tries to keep costs down. "I appreciate what she does, and if there's a less expensive way, we will do it," he said. "But if he needs something, then he needs it, and he will get it."
Lawler said the abuse and dumping of dogs in Valencia County is a problem.
"We can't get people to realize that it's not OK to dump an animal and let it die on the side of the road," she said with tears in her eyes. "It's not OK to starve them to death. It's not OK to beat the dog. It's not OK to put a collar on them and chain them in the yard and leave them with no shelter, food or water. It's not OK to not spay or neuter them."
Zimmerman said unfortunately many animals are treated this way. "He definitely deserves a better life than what he's had so far."
The pit bull dog is a young adult less than two years old, Zimmerman said. "He's been real docile," he said. "For all he's been through, he seems pretty easy-going. I've been in and out of his mouth looking for wounds, and he hasn't argued with me yet."
Lawler said she will try to find a good home for the dog, and, so far, she has had some calls about adopting him from as far away as Carlsbad. As of Tuesday morning, the dog was up, eating and drinking and doing well.
"Somebody threw him away like a piece of garbage," Lawler said. "It's not OK."