A French Bulldog who was abandoned in a New York Petco store bathroom has found a foster home and will soon be ready for a forever family.
A Petco employee discovered the little dog in a store bathroom Sunday evening shortly before closing. The poor pooch was tied up in a plastic bag with his vomit and waste, malnourished, thin, and dehydrated — clear signs of neglect.
The Petco employees rushed the Frenchie to a local veterinarian for treatment and contacted Greece Residents Assisting Stray Pets (GRASP), an animal rescue organization, hoping the group would be able to help the neglected dog find a good home.(GRASP received a $500 donation from the winner of DogTime’s Springtime Smiles Contest in April.)
GRASP Intake Coordinator Karla Barkley gave the little guy a name that would honor the French Bulldog’s heritage — Pierre.
At least for now, Pierre’s past is a mystery, and the identity of the person who left him tied in a bag in the Petco bathroom is unknown. Barkley says the store was busy for most of the day because it was hosting a pet adoption event.
“There were so many people coming in and out,” she said. “It’s hard to exactly put a face with the bag that came through the door.”
Barkley can only speculate, but she believes caring for Pierre probably became too overwhelming for his previous owner. French Bulldogs like Pierre often have skin and respiratory issues, which can require pricey veterinary care. This may have played a part in the owner’s decision to give Pierre up, but Barkley wishes, for Pierre’s sake, the owner would have done his or her research and gone through the proper channels to surrender their dog.
“[I felt] anger that someone would leave this dog in the bathroom unattended in a bag,” Barkley told WHAM ABC 13 News. “That person did not use the resources that were available to them as far as trying to take him to a shelter or finding a home for him.”
Pierre, who is estimated to be between 4- to 6-years-old, is now staying with Sue Zukowski, a GRASP foster parent.
“He is just absolutely wonderful,” Zukowski said of Pierre, who, despite everything that he’s been through, is sweet and affectionate.
“It’s just so sad someone would have neglected him so horribly,” Zukowski told the Democrat and Chronicle.
Monday morning Zukowski treated Pierre to an oatmeal bath to soothe the Frenchie’s irritated skin. She has also been gradually introducing the malnourished pup to small portions of nutritious food and is hoping his delicate stomach will calm down soon.
For more information about Pierre including updates on his condition and when he might be put up for adoption, check out the GRASP Facebook page.
Sources: 13WHAM.com, DemocratandChronicle.com
