The Mirror reported on November 21 that Zoe, a German Shepherd, was found with one front leg amputated in an apartment in Exeter, New York, USA.
A delivery driver discovered the injured dog and brought her to a veterinarian. An X-ray scan revealed that Zoe had bones in her stomach despite being starved for days. Zoe’s owner, Carl Pritchard, was later arrested, according to News 10.
Stacie Haynes, Executive Director of the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), stated that the 9-year-old dog could have died in agony if she hadn’t been found in time.
“The X-ray showed bones inside her stomach, and she had lost a leg. We believe the dog was so starved that she ate her own leg to survive,” Stacie said.
Zoe also had several other untreated injuries and was believed to have been abandoned for several days before being discovered.
“Zoe had an unusual swelling on her shoulder. Initially, we suspected bone cancer, which might have driven her to bite off her leg due to unbearable pain. However, further examination revealed it was actually a fatty mass wrapped around her shoulder, chest, and arteries,” Stacie explained.
Zoe required surgery to remove the mass, but vets were concerned that she might not survive due to her weakened condition. Fortunately, she survived the operation.
Carl Pritchard, Zoe’s 59-year-old owner, was charged with animal cruelty, abuse, neglect, and failure to provide shelter. The woman, aged 59, has relinquished ownership of Zoe and is expected to appear in court on December 4.