Starving Parker County dog recovering

An emaciated Great Dane found in November in Millsap is doing well and has a new family, authorities said this week

Grace weighs just over 98 pounds — a normal weight for her — compared with 51 pounds when she was found Nov. 25.

“Oh, she’s doing well,” said Dr. Shelley Finger who cared for the 2-year-old Great Dane at Aledo Vet Clinic in Willow Park. “She’s probably back to her fighting weight.”

Finger has adopted Grace, adding the dog to her family of three cats — Pete, Stevie and Fred —another dog, Uschi, and a 2-year-old child, Gabriel, in Fort Worth.

“I still bring her down here once a week for a bath,” Finger said. “And she’s going to obedience school.”

A Parker County resident found Grace abandoned and wandering at Fairview Lane and White Bull Lane in Millsap. At the clinic, the staff found that she had an embedded microchip, and her owner was identified several days later.

One of Grace’s eyes had to be removed.

Sheriff’s Deputy Danie Huffman said no charges will be filed in the case.

“The dog’s owner said Grace had gotten away from them and she had been missing for a long time,” Huffman said. “Before she went missing, we found reports that the owner had taken her to the vet’s, so Grace was being cared for. There was no indication of abuse.”

She was fed and treated for parasites and a slight case of diarrhea.

Grace’s owner signed over care of the dog to Finger, who adopted the her.

The dog had her share of well-wishers. Dozens of people made cash donations to Aledo Vet Clinic to help pay for Grace’s medical care.

Deputies have said any donations that exceed Grace’s medical bills will go to the Parker County Sheriff’s Animal Cruelty Reward Fund.

This story was originally published April 1, 2015 at 6:46 PM with the headline "Starving Parker County dog recovering."