Worcester Police Seek Help Identifying Owner of Abused, Emaciated Pit Bull Found on City Streets
The Worcester Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying the owner of a severely abused and emaciated pit bull found near Chandler and Main Streets earlier this week.
On March 3, a Worcester Animal Control officer responded to a call regarding a male pit bull in dire condition. The caller, who claimed to have found the dog outside a liquor store about a week earlier, had attempted to care for him but was unable to provide the necessary medical attention. The dog was so weak and injured that the responding officer had to carry him to her vehicle.
The pit bull, now named Phoenix, had severe facial and leg wounds, was covered in dried feces, and suffering from extreme malnourishment and pressure sores. Worcester Animal Control partnered with Broken Tail Rescue, Inc., a local nonprofit that stepped in to arrange for immediate veterinary care.
“Officer Patricia texted me at 10 p.m. Monday with photos of the dog when she picked him up,” said Joy Chambers, founder of Broken Tail Rescue. “I immediately said we’d take him to the vet.”
Phoenix was taken to Ocean State Veterinary Specialists in Rhode Island, where he received intensive treatment over several days. He is now recovering in a foster home in Millbury.
Despite the trauma he’s endured, Phoenix is showing promising signs of healing.
“Today, he started wagging his tail and even played with a squeaky toy,” Chambers shared.
Phoenix is estimated to be around five years old. Fortunately, his bloodwork shows no signs of refeeding syndrome, a potentially fatal condition in severely malnourished animals who begin eating again.