A dog found near death in an abandoned Vancouver "doggy daycare" is on the road to recovery, and will be up for adoption soon.
Gator, a six-year-old pup, was brought into the Vancouver BC SPCA after he was found starving and dehydrated and surrounded by urine and feces in a kennel.
The dog had been left at the facility and in the kennel with another dog, who unfortunately was found deceased. The BC SPCA say the conditions there were "beyond horrendous."
"He would not have survived another day if he was not found when he was," adds the BC SPCA.
In fact, when Gator was brought into care by a BC SPCA officer, branch staff were apparently so shocked at his condition they couldn’t even determine his breed.
The BC SPCA says Gator received IV fluids as treatment for dehydration. They also had to trim nearly four kilograms of matted hair off the dog's malnourished frame.
Among Gator's many medical issues caused by neglect include an abscessed ear and grade 4 oral disease.
Care for Gator is estimated to cost $6,000, which factors in the special diet the pup is on to get him back to a healthy weight.
The BC SPCA is caring for Gator, and hope he will be ready for adoption in around four weeks. However, the non-profit is asking for donations to help support the cost of caring for Gator during his extensive recovery. Should funds raised exceed the need for covering the cost of Gator's care, the BC SPCA will use the donations to care for other animals there.
Although Gator was found "very much at death's door," his caregivers say he's a loving and sociable dog.
“You would think that Gator would be changed by what happened to him, but he’s a total sweetie,” says Jodi Dunlop, manager of the BC SPCA in Vancouver. “He is so grateful to be saved and absolutely loves people and attention. He has a zest for life and the will to live!”
