Police Hunt Man Who Threw Neglected Dog Over Animal Shelter’s Fence: ‘Something I Will Never Forget’

Lorenz Duchamps
By Lorenz Duchamps
June 16, 2022US News
share
Police Hunt Man Who Threw Neglected Dog Over Animal Shelter’s Fence: ‘Something I Will Never Forget’
Parker, a neglected Shih Tzu dog that was abandoned at an animal shelter in Boca Raton, Fla., on June 8, 2022. (Courtesy of Tri-County Humane)

An animal rescue facility found a severely neglected Shih Tzu dog after it was reportedly tossed over the fence of Tri-County Animal Rescue in Boca Raton, Florida, early on June 8, staff members confirmed.

The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office said on Twitter that they are searching for “the heartless owners” who abandoned the animal—later named Parker.

“The dog could barely stand, let alone walk. Parker had to have emergency surgery. We’re asking for your help. This is animal cruelty,” the sheriff’s office said, using the name it gave the Shih Tzu.

Parker is seen in a Facebook post from Tri-County Humane, which revealed a staff member recovered the canine near a dumpster at the facility.

“Her hair was cemented to her skin, her nails so long they were wrapped around her paws and wounds so old they were filled with maggots. The smell is something I will never forget,” the independent, nonprofit animal shelter shared alongside several photos of the dog.

“I never saw anything like it before and personally I hope to never again,” the post added. “As many of you have seen on the news our shelter was blessed with the honor of saving Parker when someone threw her over our fence by the dumpster in the middle of the night.”

Staff members said they weren’t 100 percent sure if Parker would make it through the night, explaining the canine’s tiny body appeared to be neglected for many years. It took a team of five veterinarians over two hours to remove filth and hair matted to the dog’s body.

“We found mammory [sic] tumors and her eyes in a permanently open position because of the matting. One eye is not even fully formed,” the shelter said. “Her temperature was getting low and we spoke to her, telling her the worst was behind her, that she had to be strong, that she was loved,” it added.

Parker lost two pounds of filth and hair and made it through the first few days. The shelter shared a video on June 15 of the Shih Tzu enjoying a walk on the grass.

“Do you think this was her first time feeling grass? When we first got her she couldn’t walk at all,” the shelter wrote in the caption of the post.

Dr. Lindsey Naimoli, one of the veterinarians who treated Parker, told WPBF that she believes the Shih Tzu spent most of her life in a cage being forced to breed, based on the dog’s condition when she was found at the rescue shelter.

“It would be extremely rare to just have one animal treated horribly. I think this is one of many,” Naimoli said.

The local news agency reported that Tri-County Humane and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office are working together to determine who abandoned Parker.

The animal rights shelter is asking for donations on its Facebook page.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to call Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County at 1-800-458-8477.

ntd newsletter icon
Sign up for NTD Daily
What you need to know, summarized in one email.
Stay informed with accurate news you can trust.
By registering for the newsletter, you agree to the Privacy Policy.
Comments