Animal Cruelty: Dog Chews Off Own Foot To Escape From Being Chained, Loses Entire Leg

A 10-month-old German Shepherd puppy has lost its entire hind leg after it allegedly bit off its own paws to escape from being chained by its owners. According to KTLA, this extreme case of animal cruelty took place in Orange County, California. Authorities are now investigating the actual circumstances that led to the dog chewing off its own paws to escape from the shackles.

The dog named Rocky is currently under the care of Alicia Pet Care Center in Mission Viejo. Before the dog was sent there, it was reportedly surrendered to the OC Care Animal Shelter by his owners last weekend. When the dog was surrendered, he was missing a paw from his hind leg, and was in pain and distress. When shelter officials questioned the owners to explain the reason behind the lost paw, the family told them that they are unaware what happened to his foot while adding that the dog seems to have “eaten it.”

Later, the shelter contacted officials from the Coastal German Shepherd Rescue OC for assistance. They took Rocky in and later posted a detailed Facebook post in a bid to raise funds for rescuing the animal in need of an urgent surgery. In the post, they also added some extremely disturbing images of the horrific injuries that the animal received. Following an examination by a veterinarian at Alicia Pet Care Center, it was evident that the dog was kept chained for prolonged periods of time. The legs had ligature marks as well as festering wounds. The chain around the dog’s leg was so tight that the distressed animal had to chew off its own paws in a desperate attempt to escape the torture and confinement. The infection on the dog’s legs were so bad that the entire leg had to be amputated in order to save its life.

Caution: The images below might be graphic in nature. Reader discretion is advised.

Following the post, financial help came from animal lovers and well-wishers, and they were able to complete the surgery. As of now, Rocky is recovering from the surgery and is now learning to walk on three legs. The dog is now looking for a new family to adopt him so that he gets all the attention and care he deserves.

At this stage, it is unclear if any action would be taken against the original owners of the dog under whose “care” the animal as subjected to this horrific cruelty.

[Image Via Facebook]