Once merely skin and bones, a 10-month-old stray dog has been rescued, brought back to good health and is now ready for adoption.
"Butterscotch," a hound, shepherd and pit bull mix, weighed only 23 pounds when he was rescued from the streets of Jersey City, New Jersey in January.
Realizing he would need special care, Kim Saunders, Director of Operations at Liberty Humane Society, the organization that rescued the pup, reached out to Lambertville-based Animal Alliance for help.
"Butterscotch needed urgent emergency veterinary care that was beyond the scope of what we could provide at our shelter," Saunders said.
Animal Alliance brought the dog, whose his ideal weight is 55-60 pounds, to Crown Veterinary Specialists, where he underwent $7,000 worth in surgery and treatment over a 10-day stay in the hospital.
Today, Butterscotch weighs 48 pounds.
"In the 20-plus years that I have worked in animal welfare, I have never seen a dog as emaciated and malnourished as Butterscotch,” Anne Trinkle, Executive Director of Animal Alliance, said in a statement.
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The surgery included removal of foreign objects from Butterscotch's intestines that the dog had eaten to attempt to fill his empty stomach while on the street. The news release stated that he then underwent a strict diet that allowed his stomach to heal.
Butterscotch's journey then took him to Doylestown, Pennsylvania where he continued to gain weight and recover at a loving foster home. He is now awaiting his final home through adoption.
Anyone interested in adopting Butterscotch should fill out an application for adoption at www.animalalliancenj.org.
