When a man in Earlton, New York, opened his front door one winter night in January, he was shocked and heartbroken by what he saw. There stood a hairless, skinny dog, shivering in the cold. More than a little concerned, the man brought her inside and called animal control.
"It appeared that she had been dumped by the roadside and abandoned," the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA wrote on Facebook. "It was a frigid night, and it was assumed she came to the door looking for food and warmth. Animal control was contacted, and she was brought to the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA. It was clear that she had been neglected and was in dire need of medical attention."
At the shelter, vets examined the dog later named Peggy. They determined she had untreated demodectic mange, which had caused her skin to become dry, flaky, scabbed, and infected.
"She was in bad shape," Ron Perez, president of the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA, told The Dodo. "She had some open lacerations on her face and neck, and was pretty much devoid of any hair. It was sad. It's always sad to see them like this."
But with a little time and treatment, she was already doing much better. Just a week after being rescued, Penny was already growing back some of her fur, though her vet believes it won't fully grow back. Still, her mange is gone now and her sweet personality has emerged.
"She's a real fighter and very resilient," Perez said. "Her stress levels are clearly much lower now, because she's interacting with people and she has proper food and is sleeping correctly."
And while many animal abusers get away with their crimes, the person who abandoned Penny in her condition was caught and arrested just a day after she was found. He was charged with animal cruelty. If convicted, he may face jail time and a $1,000 fine.
But the best part of Penny's story? On March 10, she finally found her forever home. Now she'll get to live out the rest of her life with a family who will shower her with love and care. We wish the best of luck to this strong, resilient pup as she begins her new life!
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