Muncie shelter takes in dogs starved for months
Eaton police are investigating after finding emaciated dogs, starved for months, in deplorable living conditions. A Muncie animal shelter is working to get the animals in good health. They’re asking for your help — not money, just your time and love for animals.
Phil Peckinpaugh, the director of Muncie Animal Care and Services, described Dozer, one of the mistreated dogs.
“You can see every bone in this dog’s body. It has very little weight other than skin. When people say the dog is skin and bones, that’s truly what he is. He has hair loss from malnutrition,” he said.
But Dozer is able to walk and eat treats. Another dog, Diesel, is not so fortunate. He’s so sick that shelter crews didn’t want him on camera.
“Diesel and Dozer were locked into a room, had not come out for several months and had not been fed. There was dog food on the property. They had made a very conscious decision to feed four of the dogs, but not these two,” said Peckinpaugh.
Peckinpaugh said that Eaton police investigated a home that he called deplorable; officers found trash and feces, as well as an infestation of fleas and cockroaches inside. Six dogs were taken, but only Diesel and Dozer were mistreated.
The good news is Peckinpaugh expects the dogs to make a full recovery. That recovery will be thanks in part to volunteers like Sherry Richardson. She spends three days a week at the shelter, sometimes putting in six hours per day.
“We, of course, clean the cages or the areas that they’re in and make sure they’re all clean and they have food and water,” Richardson added, “Some come in that are scared to death and within a day or two when they see you, they’re wagging their tales and they’re happy to see you. They’re an entirely different dog.”
Richardson doesn’t need recognition. She says her reward is seeing the dogs’ recovery. Staff at the shelter are looking for more people willing to volunteer their time. They also need pet food and foster parents. Dozer and Diesel will go to a foster home.
“We’re very anxious for both of them to experience a little bit of pampering and know what an actual home feels like,” said Peckinpaugh.
If you would like more information on how you can volunteer, or help, click here.