A jogger in Branford, Connecticut found a lonely dog on their morning run. The white Pit Bull mix was alone in a parking lot, sleeping on an old towel. No one was around and the dog seemed malnourished and in pain. So, the jogger called animal control to alert them of the situation.
Officials suspect the dog was abandoned the night before, left to fend for himself during one of the coldest nights of the year. On top of all his other injuries, the dog also suffered from frostbite. But now, a kind shelter is giving him a safe space to heal.
Frostbitten Dog Learns What Love is
The Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter took the dog into their care and named him Lincoln. Unlike most abandoned dogs, Lincoln was not happy to see his rescuers. Instead, he was terrified but didn’t have the strength to run. It was clear that someone had been cruel to him in the past.
Not only did Lincoln have frostbite from spending a night in the cold, but he also had other signs of neglect like mange, overgrown nails, and irritation likely from being kept in a crate with his own feces. Urine and feces can singe a dog’s skin if they’re forced to sit in it for too long. Lincoln’s sores were so severe he had trouble walking.
Since his rescue, Lincoln has received around-the-clock veterinary care to help him feel like himself again. Each day, he improves a little more in terms of physical health and trust. The shelter staff have showered him with love, which is something he might’ve never experienced before.
Lincoln’s Road to Recovery
Lincoln is estimated to be about 2 or 3 years old, and he was about 10 to 20 pounds underweight when he arrived. But now, he’s doing much better since he has someone to care for him properly.
“Lincoln has made remarkable strides in the 30 hours we have had him. A great big thank you goes out to the veterinarians and staff at Madison Veterinary Hospital. The medicated baths and antibiotics and love are really helping him!” Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter wrote.
Officials are still trying to locate the person responsible for Lincoln’s pain. Security cameras might’ve picked up footage from the parking lot, but police are still looking into it. Hopefully, the person who hurt this poor innocent dog will pay for the damage they did.
Many people have already fallen in love with Lincoln, but he has a lot of healing to do. He likely won’t be up for adoption for at least a month. Until then, the shelter urges animal lovers to make donations to help care for Lincoln and the other available dogs. Every donation could make a difference in Lincoln’s recovery.
H/T: fox61.com
Featured Image: @dancosgroveanimalshelter/Facebook