National

Shelter dog was saved from ‘a house of horrors.’ ‘Worse than we could have imagined’

The shelter doesn’t know how long the sweet girl had been living in those conditions.
The shelter doesn’t know how long the sweet girl had been living in those conditions. Photo screen grab from Pennsylvania SPCA

A senior dog is on the mend after being rescued from an abysmal situation, a Philadelphia shelter said.

Chessie, a shy boxer/Weimaraner mix, was with a plethora of other pets when she was saved from a dire situation inside a home filled with alive and dead animals and waste, with barely enough food or water to survive.

“At 12-years-old, Chessie was abandoned in a house of horrors,” the Pennsylvania SPCA said in a Oct. 18 Facebook post.

“Our Animal Law Enforcement team was made aware of a complaint that the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department had received. The nature of concerns related to dogs and cats living in disrepair,” the shelter said. “When we went to check it out, it was worse than we could have imagined.”

Chessie, another pup, five cats and two pigeons were brought into the shelter, the SPCA said. But the road to recovery would be long for Chessie.

“Chessie had a severe flea infestation, her ears were dirty, her gait stiff, and she had mammary masses. She was so very nervous during her examination that she had to be sedated to get the full picture,” the shelter said.

“At her age, we wondered what her life had been like. How long had she been waiting for help? We were so grateful that the Good Samaritan took the time and care to speak up. They saved her, and we saved her too.”

The sweet pup has a loving personality but can be timid at first, her pet profile says. She would do best in a household where she’s the only dog.

“With each day that passes Chessie is gaining both confidence and comfort,” the shelter says. “It is truly our only wish for her to know love in the final days, weeks, months or hopefully years of her life.”

For more information on Chessie or other adoptable animals, visit the shelter’s website.

Read Next
Read Next

This story was originally published October 21, 2024 at 2:40 PM with the headline "Shelter dog was saved from ‘a house of horrors.’ ‘Worse than we could have imagined’."

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
Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER