by A Florida animal rights group says a stray dog is recovering from surgery after she was found brutally abused by the side of the road.
Laura Colding, student nutrition manager at Bryan Elementary School, said Fox 13 Tampa Bay that she saw the dog on the side of the road on her way to work and at first thought he had simply broken the leash, but soon made a disturbing discovery.
“The scariest thing,” Colding said. “The dog had zip ties hooked together around her neck, and then some sort of electrical cord, like maybe a phone cord. And blood just flowed from her neck. You could see that the zip ties were embedded in her throat. So of course I couldn’t leave the dog like that.”
Despite the gruesome injuries, Colding said the dog was not aggressive or distressed and even wagged its tail. Colding waited with the animal for two and a half hours before help arrived.
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The stray dog named Harper is said to have a good rest and play with other dogs. (Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center)
When the Hillsborough County Animal Welfare Department arrived, the dog was eating out of her hands, but retreated into the woods when she saw the leash. Officials were able to night trap the frightened dog and take her to the Hillsborough County Pet Center.
At the pet center in Tampa, Fla., the wire and zip ties were removed from her neck and she was treated for the injuries.
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A stray dog named Harper recovers after being found tied up with wires and zip ties and abandoned. (Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center)
“I just can’t imagine the amount of cruelty that dog probably went through before I even found him, or how long those zip ties were on her neck and just didn’t get any love and attention,” Colding said. “And they are said to be man’s best friend.”
The dog, who is believed to be around 2 years old, will be available for adoption in the future and anyone with information on how the animal was injured is asked to call 813-744-5660.
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Harper the dog is believed to be around 2 years old and will be put up for adoption soon (Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center)
According to a note posted online, the dog has been named Harper and plays well with the other dogs at the center.
