Another devastating case of animal abuse has been reported in Lorain after dogs were starved and mistreated for months.
It all started with a disturbing discovery and a phone call to Lorain police from Cynthia Dodson about her neighbors. She said she didn't even know her neighbors had dogs until her kids saw one laying behind the home on Monday.
"The dog was just laying out there. Emaciated. Nasty looking, like it was dying in the yard," Dodson said.
She said she tried to feed the two pitbull-mixes they found and called for help.
Lorain police officer Rick Broz answered Dodson's call. He brought the dogs to the Lorain Animal Clinic.
"These dogs were basically just starved," Dr. Thomas Wood said.
The call saved the dogs' lives, but they're still fighting to hold on.
"If they were there for another 24, 48 hours, this one would not be alive. This one wouldn't have lasted more than a few days," Wood said about the two animals.
Lorain Animal Clinic is taking care of the animals free of charge. Dr. Wood said anyone who wants to donate money to animal causes should give to the Animal Protective League instead.
"This one is on me," Dr. Wood said.
Dr. Wood said he guesses both dogs are about 3 years old and weigh half what they should. They likely hadn't eaten in months.
What's just as disturbing as the way these dogs were treated and the conditions they were found in is the fact that they are not alone. More and more people, for one reason or another, are abandoning their animals.
"We're seeing more and more for mostly financial reasons, and that has something to do with the economy of the city. People are just abandoning them more," Wood said.
Broz said he's not sure the cases are increasing, but they are getting reported more often, and he believes there are cases that go unreported.
"There's resources available. There's no excuse to let the animal suffer," Wood said.
The message being shared on Wednesday is to know that abandoning an animal isn't an option, and there are other avenues to pursue if you can't care for your animal.
"There's animal shelters out there for a reason," Dodson said. "Call and get help. Call the police department. They'll gladly come and take them off your hands."
Right now, the Lorain Animal Clinic is hoping the dogs pull through. But the plans for the dogs, once they're healthier, is to send them to the Friendship APL. They won't be ready to adopt for months.
Lorain Police are still investigating the case. News 5 was told the people behind the abuse will likely face cruelty to animals and abandoning animals charges.
