UPDATE (6/17/2022 10:00 a.m.)
Nathaniel Darnell Bifford, 32, has been arrested and charged with two counts of Animal Neglect – Serious Injury or Death in the case of Zeus and Kyda, the puppies who were found emaciated and dehydrated earlier this week on one of the hottest days of the year. Zeus and Kyda are continuing to recover under the care of our two staff veterinarians and the rest of the ARL’s Miracle Medical Team.
ORIGINAL STORY (6/16/2022)
It never gets easier. No matter how many times we see unimaginable suffering, the horror is still the same.
That’s how it was when Zeus and Kyda arrived at the Animal Rescue League earlier this week, at the very end of the day, on one of the hottest days of the year.
The pups were emaciated, their fur stained from lying in their own waste. They were so weak from starvation and dehydration that their legs shook as they walked.
Even scarier, we learned that Kyda had been found lying on a balcony in the direct sun with no water, no shelter and no way to get indoors. The heat index was in the hundreds. It was dangerous for any animal to be out, much less a puppy who was already dangerously thin and dehydrated. If she had not been rescued when she was, she easily could have died.
These pups arrived at the ARL just in time, and they have a long road to healing. They desperately need your help.
Our Emergency Care Team immediately offered food and water, and the pups drank and ate hungrily. Their dehydration was so extreme that our on-call veterinarian rushed in after hours to give them IV fluids. They’re now being monitored closely by our team and are on a special feeding schedule to help them regain weight safely.
Despite the suffering they have endured, they were incredibly sweet from the time they arrived, seeking comfort on one of our health technician’s laps and burrowing under her arm. They wanted love so badly, they couldn’t get close enough.
Pups like Zeus and Kyda are the reason our Miracle Medical Fund exists, and your donations are nothing less than lifesaving. Whether you choose to give a one-time gift or give monthly, you’ll be helping these pups and so many other pets like them who arrive at our doors in need of emergency care.
Give now to help them heal … and give them hope for better days to come.
P.S.: The investigation in this case is ongoing. When you give today or join our Loyal Friends Club monthly giving program, you’ll be automatically enrolled to receive updates on Zeus and Kyda.
