A cocker spaniel is alive and stable this week after being subjected to extreme neglect, and vets are hopeful that he will recover from his trauma. Little Sammy was brought into a Tinton Falls veterinary hospital last week by a man who claimed to have found him at the side of the road. Police later determined that the man and his wife own the dog and they have both been charged with animal cruelty.
When Sammy came in he was caked in his own feces, and his skin was burned from lying in his own urine. He had clearly been confined to an extremely small space for an extended period and at this point has still not been able to stand up. “When he came in, you couldn’t even tell that he had paws,” said Dr. Maria Glowaski, adding that the matting of filth and fur wholly encased Sammy’s feet.
He has been able to keep down small amounts of food, but it is touch and go for Sammy at the moment. Victor “Buddy” Amato, chief humane law enforcement officer for the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has been involved in the investigation into Sammy’s abuse. “Today the dog is resting comfortably,” he said. “Each hour he seems to be responding, but he still can’t stand.”
Records show that Sammy was registered to Keith Morgan and his wife Shauna Ewing Morgan in 2007 and both face charges of charges of abandonment, failure to provide sustenance and causing unnecessary suffering. Keith Morgan is also charged with interfering with an investigation. Further charges are possible depending on how Sammy recovers.
Sammy’s team of veterinarians and caregivers at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital is very hopeful that he will have a full recovery and is very confident that he will be adopted into a loving and happy home once that happens.
