Rescue group seeks owner of badly abused dog George

A local rescue group is trying to find the person responsible for terrible injuries inflicted on a dog found wandering near a HantsCounty landfill recently.

"He's one of the hardest cases we've seen since I've been doing this rescue for nine years," Shelley Cunningham, president ofLitters 'nCritters Rescue Society, told CBC Radio's Maritime Noon.

"The SPCAis investigating this now. Whoever did this, they need to be charged."

Two men found the dog, which appears to be a boxer or boxer mix, nearthe East Hants Waste Management Centre, formerly calledtheGeorgefield landfill.

The skeletaldog, now called George, had a rope deeply embedded in his neck.

'He is so weak'

"He's extremely emaciated. He has ligature marks on his neck,from where the rope was tied tightly into his neck," Cunningham said.

"He's got cuts and sores and open wounds on various parts of his body. His legs have cuts on them that are indicative of his legs being tied together."

George is nearly unable to stand and is under the care of veterinarian. He weighsabout 19 kilograms less than he should, Cunningham said.

"He has to be slowly introduced to food and fluids.He can't even walk properly he is so weak, he is so sore.By looking at him, he's been through hell and back."

Worst abuse case

She speculated that George may have been tied up in a very small space for a long period of time and got loose.

"He is a verysweet, loving dog. Very confused, very scared but not aggressive at all."

Litters 'nCritters has posted George's photo on its Facebook page, hoping to identify who had George when he suffered his injures. It has also asked for donations to help pay for George's care.

"People are responding to call for donations for his care. Hopefully, his foster home will keep him until he gets better. He is very attached to them," Cunningham said.

"This is the worst one [abuse case] I've seen yet and we've had over 4,000 dogs," she said.

"It is a very sad story, but it is not the first one and it won't be the last one, unfortunately."