BOSTON, June 22, 2022– The MSPCA’s Law Enforcement department is asking for the public’s assistance with a case involving an emaciated five-month-old white male Pit Bull puppy found inside a pet crate near Walk Hill Street near Mount Hope Cemetery and brought to Angell Animal Medical Center at about 5:20 a.m. the morning of June 15 by an individual reporting they had found the dog. The puppy was diagnosed with Parvovirus, a highly contagious and deadly virus that can lead to persistent vomiting and diarrhea, leading to rapid dehydration and even death.
Director of Adoption Centers and Programs at the MSPCA, Mike Keiley, arranged for the dog to be transferred from Boston Animal Control to Angell, where treatment could be provided. “The puppy—now named “PJ”—has been receiving intravenous fluids containing electrolytes and supportive care and, as of today, is doing much better,” he said. Keiley expects PJ to continue improving and he could be available for adoption into a new home as soon as seven to 14 days.
No Leads, Law Enforcement Seeks Public’s Help
PJ was left inside a pet crate and was wearing a blue, gray and yellow collar manufactured by FuzzYard. He wore no identification tags, nor was he microchipped, making it near impossible to identify an owner.
MSPCA Law Enforcement Director Tom Grenham reiterated the call for anyone who knows who may have owned the dog to phone the MSPCA. “Right now there are no leads so we’re likely going to need the public’s help in determining whether an owner can be identified,” he said. Anyone with any information is urged to call the MSPCA’s Law Enforcement line at 800-628-5808.
Help PJ Recover!
PJ’s veterinary bills are likely to exceed $3,000 and the MSPCA has set up a donation page for anyone who wishes to help defray the costs. Donations can be made at www.mspca.org/PJ.
How to Surrender an Animal
PJ’s story underscores the importance of seeking assistance when an owner is in need of support for their pet. “We realize that sometimes people find themselves in desperate situations. We hope that others reading this article understand that our first and foremost goal is to help when people and animals are in need,” said Keiley.
Leaving an animal outside in a crate and hoping that someone may find and bring him to a shelter or veterinary hospital is not the best approach,” said Keiley. “We also have an array of support programs for people that are struggling to keep their pets at home and, as an open admissions shelter located in Jamaica Plain, very close to where PJ was found, we make the process of surrendering accessible and free of judgment for pet owners who need to relinquish their animal as do other Boston based animal organizations.”
