A Pomeranian that was found zipped in a backpack and dumped beside a sidewalk in a Boston neighborhood last week is on the mend thanks to a good Samaritan, according to the MSPCA.
West Roxbury resident Andrea DesJardins was walking and spotted a backpack underneath a bush near the intersection of Center and Willow Streets on May 18.
"It was so odd to find a backpack close to the sidewalk but seemingly intentionally hidden underneath a bush, so I felt compelled to investigate," DesJardins said. "As I got closer I could see that something was moving inside the bag. I immediately loosened the zipper and was shocked to find a startled, chocolate brown Pomeranian staring back at me."
DesJardins immediately drove the dog to the MSPCA-Angell adoption center in Jamaica Plain, where staffers said the dog registered a dangerously low temperature and her gums were pale, both possible indicators of serious health concerns. If DesJardins had not acted so quickly, the dog could have died from exposure or starvation.
"We warmed her using heated blankets and showered her with affection and that seemed to turn her around," said MSPCA shelter associate director Anna Rafferty-Fore. "She perked right up after about an hour outside the bag."
Jan, as the dog has since been named, is believed to be 9-years-old and partially or totally deaf, and has regained her health, according to the MSPCA. They add that Jan is, "adorable and friendly," and now that her mandatory seven-day stray hold expires, she’ll likely be adopted by a staffer without ever having to go onto the adoption floor.
The MSPCA's attention now turns to whoever may have abandoned her—which is a felony crime in Massachusetts punishable with fines up to $5,000 and up to seven years in state prison. Anyone with information is urged to call the MSPCA hotline at 800-628-5808.
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"It’s really important for people to know that there are options available should they be unable to care for their animal," Rafferty-Fore said. "Our surrender process is judgment-free. We understand that sometimes due to circumstances beyond their control, people are no longer able to keep their animals and we urge anyone in this situation to reach out to us."
