JONESBORO, Ark. – When Dagwood the dog was found injured Saturday, it wasn’t until he had been examined by a clinic that the true nature of what he had experienced became known.
The dog is suffering from chemical burns believed to have been intentionally caused by someone.
Monday morning, Dagwood was still recovering at Animal Medical Clinic on Gee Street in Jonesboro. NEA Report reached out to the clinic but the vet had not returned our call as of this publication.
“We will make sure that Dagwood is shown the love and care he deserves,” NEAHS’s page admin wrote. “We will also do our best to make sure no one ever hurts this sweet boy again. That’s just what we do with every breath we take…we speak for those who have no voice.”
Rhonda Qualls is the interim director of NEAHS. She said a lady found the dog on the side of the road and brought it in. Not only had the dog been dumped but it had suffered some type of injuries, too.
“When she brought the dog in, we saw the dog was obviously in distressed and had been injured,” said Qualls. “We immediately took the dog in, loaded it up, and transported the dog to Animal Medical Clinic.”
NEAHS suspected something malicious had been done to the dog but Qualls said they refrained from making a judgment before a medical professional could examine Dagwood.
“We try not to form any type of medical opinion about a dog until a vet sees it,” Qualls said. “We were suspicious that something had happened to the dog but it wasn’t until the doctor confirmed these were actual chemical burns and most likely, this was intentional.”
The Northeast Arkansas Humane Society is passionate about what they do. When someone brings in a dog, they will spring into action if one of four scenarios are met: abuse, starvation, sickness, or injury. In less than two days, the “village” that is NEA has raised over $2,200 for Dagwood’s costs and bills.
“We call the people in this community our village,” Qualls said. “When we have a case like this, this community steps up in the biggest of ways and always helps us cover the cost of these animals that are at risk. We can not do what we do without them. They are absolutely amazing.”
Dagwood has received a medicated bath, burn cream, and antibiotics for his injuries. Once he recovers, he’ll be up for adoption through NEAHS. The animal rescue group always does background checks on those adopting pets and Qualls said they will be extra thorough for the future home of the injured dog.
“We vet everyone that wants to adopt a pet but whoever adopts him will have to understand that it’s a possibility he will need ongoing vet care for his injuries,” Qualls said. “We would want the owner to have a fenced in back yard, a comfortable place to sleep, proper vet care and proper nutrition. We always make sure whoever adopts is a good fit – not only the pet is a good fit for them but that they’re a good fit for the pet.”
Unfortunately, NEAHS couldn’t even get Dagwood back into their care before another tragic case surfaced.
On Sunday, Craighead County Sheriff’s Department contacted the rescue group after they had received a report of a sick and injured puppy dropped off on Lacy Drive. Two deputies responded along with Lisa Trevathan, rescue coordinator. It took them almost an hour to get the scared dog.
“We expect that was an intentional dump as well,” Qualls said. “That poor baby’s paws were bleeding. She’s got a severe case of mange. She was dumped with a blanket, a bowl, and just dumped by the railroad tracks on Lacy Drive. Left her there to die or to get hit. But the village will step up for that, too. It’s going to take Lacy several months to heal up.”
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