Dog News

College Students Save the Life of an Abandoned, Terrorized Dog

by Melanie

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8.14.13 - Students Save Tortured Dog

A once abused dog has a chance at a happy life thanks to the compassion of college students who saved him from child abusers in the neighborhood.

The loveable boy named Scruff had been abandoned by his owners, left to fend for himself on the streets when they moved and did not bring him with them.

“The people left and moved out, left him there. He’s been tortured and shot with BB guns,” said Mary’a Ewing. “All the kids in the neighborhood have been torturing him. Stoning him. And shooting him and just terrorizing him.”

Ewing and two of her fellow Oklahoma State University students brought him in after finding out what had been happening. They brought Scruff to a local shelter, but because of his injuries, it was decided he would be euthanized.

The women knew Scruff had endured unrelenting misery, but that he deserved to know a life of goodness. They sought a second opinion from vets at OSU’s Veterinary Health Sciences. Scruff has two pellets lodged in his shoulder, and bullet and bone fragments are scattered around his elbow.

8.14.13 - Students Save Tortured Dog2

“While that’s potentially repairable, sometimes financially it’s not realistic and so the amputation becomes an option. Certainly a lot of animals do well with the amputation anyway,” said Dr. Mark Rochat, Professor of Small Animal Surgery.

He believes that if his injuries are taken care of, Scruff could live a long and healthy life. While this is a far more optimistic prognosis for the students, the cost of medical treatments was going to be problematic. All three work at a coffee shop, and didn’t know how they could pay for surgery.

So they created a Facebook page and fundraiser site for Scruff. Within two days, their goal of $1,700 was met and exceeded by nearly $1,000.

Thrilled, the ladies will now work towards getting Scruff the medical care he needs, as well as a home. They would love to have him, but as students cannot currently provide him with a proper home. They ask for anyone who is interested in adopting or fostering Scruff, or knows a sanctuary that will take him, to please visit his page.

“He’s been so friendly, and sweet,” said student Courtnee Morton. “He just lays around with us and tries to sit in our lap. He just wants some loving and attention.”

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