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Military trained dog was ‘wasting away’ in a dirty kennel. Rex needs a loving home

Photo screen grab from Pennsylvania SPCA Facebook

A pup who was trained specifically to work in law enforcement was rescued from a horrible situation, a Philadelphia shelter said.

Rex is a beautiful Belgian Malinois mix who, at 4-years-old, has retired from patrol work, his pet profile at the Pennsylvania SPCA says. However, even though Rex was saved from a dire situation, he lacks the mental simulation needed to give him a sense of purpose.

“We have to be honest about Rex — he needs to find a home as soon as possible or we fear that it may be too late,” the Pennsylvania SPCA said in an Oct. 20 Facebook post.

“Rex is a highly trained K9 who was destined for a life of service. Instead, he ended up at a rescue where he spent his days locked in a dirty kennel, wasting away — physically and mentally.”

While Rex was rescued by the SPCA’s Animal Law Enforcement team “from that hellish situation,” he still needs a loving home where he can thrive.

“He needs mental and physical stimulation that we simply cannot provide. Our volunteers and behavior staff are working him, we are coming up with novel ideas to keep his brain working — but he needs more,” the shelter said.

“Rex needs a home with experience handling dogs trained for military and law enforcement work.”

Rex’s loves, per the shelter, include:

  • Problem-solving

  • Kong toys

  • Fetch

  • Tug-of-war

  • Peanut butter

  • Running

For more information on Rex and other adoptable animals, visit the shelter’s website.

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This story was originally published October 21, 2024 at 11:01 AM with the headline "Military trained dog was ‘wasting away’ in a dirty kennel. Rex needs a loving home."

TJ Macias
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
TJ Macías is a Real-Time national sports reporter for McClatchy based out of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Formerly, TJ covered the Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers beat for numerous media outlets including 24/7 Sports and Mavs Maven (Sports Illustrated). Twitter: @TayloredSiren
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