Emaciated Dog Left to Starve in Abandoned New York Apartment — ‘Days From Death’

Rhett’s Fight for Life After Being Left to Die

Rhett, a gentle pit bull mix, is now fighting for another chance at life after enduring unthinkable cruelty.

On May 16, officers from the Kirkland Police Department and local animal control in Clark Mills, New York, entered an apartment that seemed abandoned. Inside, they made a heartbreaking discovery—Rhett, starving, skeletal, and so weak he couldn’t even stand on his own.

Authorities immediately rushed him to a veterinarian. The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, which later took over the investigation, shared that Rhett had been left behind when his owners moved away. With no food, no water, and no way out, he had simply been locked inside the empty apartment—left to die alone.

At the clinic, veterinarians were shocked by his condition. Rhett was extremely emaciated, anemic, and covered in fleas. He was so close to death that he required an emergency blood transfusion just to stabilize him. Every rib and bone was visible, and his body trembled from starvation. Doctors at Clinton Pet Vet and later Upstate Veterinary Specialties worked around the clock to pull him back from the edge.

“His owners had moved and left him locked in their apartment to fend for himself. No one knows how long he had been there, but we were told he was probably days from death,” rescuers wrote. “To see pictures of him is startling, but to see him in real life is absolutely shocking.”

Despite the pain and weakness, Rhett’s spirit has proven stronger than anyone expected. With the support of Kindred Spirits Greyhound Adoption Inc., Rhett began the long journey of recovery. He was moved into a loving foster home, where he continues to improve slowly each day. His caretakers share that he is now on a special prescription diet and has started physical therapy to regain strength, weight, and mobility.

A GoFundMe campaign launched to cover his medical bills reached its $6,000 goal in just days, with donations pouring in from people touched by his story. Kindred Spirits expressed their gratitude, saying Rhett “continues to move in the right direction” and is proving that love and care can heal even the deepest wounds.

But Rhett’s story isn’t only about survival—it’s also about justice. On May 28, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Lindsay Meelan, 36, of Clark Mills, who was determined to be responsible for Rhett’s suffering. She has been charged with Aggravated Cruelty to Animals (a felony), Torture/Injure/Not Feed Animals (a misdemeanor), and Violation of Dog Control Procedures.

For Rhett, the future is no longer darkness and hunger—it’s hope, care, and the promise of a better life. Though he still has a long road to full recovery, one thing is certain: he will never be abandoned again.