Warning: This article contains graphic images some may find disturbing.
The BC SPCA is calling it one of the most horrific and disturbing cases of animal cruelty ever seen in the province.
An 18-month-old Shepherd-cross dog named Molly is lucky to be alive after an RCMP officer found her completely emaciated and virtually dead at a Port Hardy home.
The officer, responding to an animal cruelty complaint on Nov. 25, said the animal was non-responsive, shivering uncontrollably and had a collar on her neck that was deeply embedded in a bloody wound.
Molly was rushed to a nearby veterinary hospital, where staff gave her emergency treatment to keep her alive.
SPCA animal protection officer Tina Heary said she’s never seen anything like it.
“Seeing it in person at the time of her arrival, I actually can’t imagine what that officer and her initial emotion might have been,” she said.
“We’ve had comments from very seasoned veterinarians who have had excess in 30 years of practice and say they have never seen something like this before in their practice.”
More than two weeks later, Molly is recovering in an SPCA foster home – but it’s a slow process.
Her body is still skeletal, but she’s putting on weight and is now able to walk, according to Heary.
The SPCA is recommending charges of animal cruelty against Molly’s former owners.
The organization is also accepting donations for Molly’s many veterinary bills and similar cruelty investigations.
To donate, go to the BC SPCA page here and direct the donation to “Animal Protection.”
The dog is expected to remain in foster care for several weeks until she’s placed in a new home.
