A severely emaciated dog was found near a park in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood back in August and now investigators are asking the public for any information that will lead them to the person responsible, rescuers said Tuesday.
The 1-year-old dog, now named Dobby, was found as a stray near Franklin Park in mid-August, the Animal Rescue League of Boston said. Rescuers said it was one of the worst cases of emaciation they'd seen in a long time.
Dobby weighed just 37 pounds when he was found and his bones were obvious across multiple parts of his body. He was so thin his condition ranked a 1 out of 9 on the body condition score chart, which is used to assess if a dog is underweight, overweight or healthy. He had no discernible body fat and noticeable loss of muscle mass.
His fur was also soaked in urine and he had mild dental disease and pressure sores, signs that he had been confined in a small space, rescuers said.
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Dobby is on the mend and headed to foster care, though he is not yet ready for adoption.
ARL’s Law Enforcement Department is investigating. The person responsible could face animal cruelty charges. Anyone with information is asked to call them at 617-426-9170 x110 or email cruelty@arlboston.org.
