Five lhasa apsos found horribly matted and malnourished earlier this week are showing signs of recovery.
- Dogs rescued Feb 19
- All five face long term health issues
- Authorities believe convicted felon responsible for dogs' condition
The five dogs were first rescued on Feb. 19. Suncoast Animal League staff and volunteers worked for hours this week just to get the dogs comfortable and able to rest.
On Friday, Suncoast Animal League executive director Rick Chaboudy told us the dogs are walking better now and have very healthy appetites. However, examinations by the veterinarian uncovered some troubling health issues.
“We were told that they're going to lose all of their teeth," said Chaboudy. "When they're ready for some surgery, those will be extracted. But when we found out they're pretty much totally blind -- all of them -- that was disappointing.”
Officials are still working to find out who is responsible for let these dogs suffer in such a deplorable condition. So far, they believe it was a St. Petersburg man who is a convicted felon.
Despite the sobering news, Chaboudy said the outpouring of support for these dogs has been tremendous. League officials plan to put the dogs up for adoption as soon as they’re healthier.
“We're getting calls all the time from (people who want to adopt them)," said Chaboudy. "They found out. They don't care. They want to move forward and help these guys.”