Abused bulldog showed up on porch?

Question

Last week, I came home and a severely malnourished Boxer was laying on my porch asleep. She was extremely dirty and had a heavy steel chain padlocked around her neck. I took the chain off, took her in the house, made a vet appt, bathed her, and fed her. She's been here a week now, gained a couple of pounds, but I was wondering how I can get her to safely gain weight within a month. I really need her spayed, but the vet recommended she gain weight first though (her ribs and hip bones were showing from how bad she looked). She's extremely sweet, doesn't bite or even bark much, and is housetrained. How can I get her to gain weight, and in the case the owners ever show up to claim her, do I have to give her back? I already have vet papers showing that I paid for a visit, and she looked extremely bad when she showed up (she looked as though she'd been chained as a breeder for a very long time). Thanks.

Answer 1

God Bless You, for taking in this poor dog, and caring enough, to take her to the vet. I'm really surprised that the vet, did not put her on a special diet that would make her gain weight. I would call the vet you took her to, and ask him/her, to prescribe something for her, or recommend a diet you can get for her. I think a dog, has to be starving for a long time, in order to look as thin, as you say she does and in such bad shape.. It sounds to me, and I may be wrong, like the owner totally abandoned the dog. If the owner shows up and tries to claim her, then I would see if the owner, can be investigated, to make sure he/she, deserves to get her back. I think if they investigate the owner and find him/her negligent, then you've got yourself a new baby to love and who will love you back! Keep up the good work! I hope she's better really soon! Hope this helps! I just wanted to add that, you should take some pictures of her, just in case you need them for any reason later on!

Answer 2

There are different veterinarian tested foods out there for weight gain for pets.

Science Diet makes a few good ones.

It has been a week, so she should be good intestinal tract wise to eat normal pet foods.

Did you take her picture when you found her? Of her condition?
If so, those will help your case that the owner is not fit to keep her. That and they can probably be brought up on animal abuse charges. The owner would have to show a photo of themselves with the pet in order to prove ownership. But in her condition, it would be stupid for the owner to try that.

If the owner does get custody, file a suit to get reimbursed for the vet bills.


Science Diet has a Canine food called A/D Prescription diet. Ask your vet if you can/should buy this food. It is for animals with low weight, etc. The link is below for information. The vet may say there is no need, but you should at least ask. They might even have a better idea. The vets normally buy it and offer it for purchase (even in bulk casings).

Answer 3

I rescued an Am Bulldog. In our state, if you find a stray you legally only have to run an ad in your local paper for six days. If no one claims the animal it is considered abandoned and you may keep it. Check the laws of your state, your vet or local animal rescue can help with this.

You vet can also pull records on the dog's condition when you brought her in. Make sure he made copious notes.

You did not happen to take photos of her when you found her did you? It is OK, would help. You may want to start keeping a photo journal now.

No one every claimed our bully and she is the best pet in the world. We found her sitting in a fast food parking lot, in the rain. She was dirty, malnourished and her coat was dull. We went to her (she did not run) and coaxed her into the car where we took her home and bathed her and fed her.

We fed her a little in the morning and evening, a mixture of dry food (Black Diamond is great) with a little canned food (we used Pedigree for its protein content and it was recommended by our vet).

Throughout the day we fed her free choice dry and went to the meat market and got her some beef bones.

We also walked her daily.

Now we have a gorgeous dog with great muscle tone, a shiny coat (we occasionally throw an egg into her food - our vet recommended it - crunched shells and all - calcium). She is healthy and happy and, best of all, she has HOME where a family LOVES her.

You have done a great thing adopting a rescue. She will be a very special pet to you. Most rescues are the best pets...

Answer 4

Just make sure to give her good food and play with her so she doesn't get lazy but still builds up bulk. Boxer's can gain weight pretty regularly if given the right things. Also try and get her some healthy treats so that if you try to teach her some tricks you can help her get her weight up that way.

As for the previous owners, if you have any pictures from when she first showed up, that will help alot. Also take lots of pictures of you with her. (if she was just a breeder that wasn't taken care of very well I doubt they'll have pictures that they can use to prove she's theirs but they might have papers) If they have papers it might be a problem but if it's been this long and no one's tried finding her they must not be too worried.
But if you do have pictures of when you found her that would work very well in your favor. People don't tend to side with dog abusers.

I'm very glad she came to you and that you took her in and helped her to get better. I have a boxer mix puppy myself and I can't even fathom how people can do that to such a sweet face. She sounds like a great dog.

Answer 5

Bless you, you did a wonderful thing. I would talk to the vet and see if they have any wisdom about what you should do incase the owners show up (I seriously doubt it will happen) and by the time she puts on weight she probably wont even look like the same dog that they had!!! :) As far as weight gain, do not rush it, just make sure she is on a good quality food and it will just happen with time.

Answer 6

I agree wholeheartedly with joepony. Glad I read the answers 1st cause I was pretty much going to say what he said. Should of took a pic of her laying on the porch like you found her with the chain still around her neck. He's right, do take lots of pics of her and file them away along with any vet bills relating to her condtion just in case the owners do show up and try to claim her. Don't even advertise in any way about you finding her. From the sounds of it, they probably don't even care.

Answer 7

What you did is great, and no you do not have to give the dog back. However, you might have to if you do not report the owners for animal cruelty. Report that the dog was abused and malnurished when it came, and send the authorities photos of the dog when it first showed up and a photo of it now to prove it. also, save the chain as evidence. if they show up, pay them for the dog but then tell them if they don't leave you and the dog alone, you'll take them to court for cruelty to animals. If they have a bit of sense, they'll leave. I once rescued a kitten from a yard where nobody was taking care of it. It had been thrown out of a car and the people who owned the house where doing nothing. They objected to me taking it, but it was in pitiful condition and needed a vet and I told them either they let me take the kitten, take care of it themselves, or I was reporting them for cruelty. the kitten left with me ten minutes later. No authority in their right mind would give this dog back to it's old owner

Answer 8

You want to stay away from foods with ingredients such as corn, wheat, fillers, beef and by products. All of those ingredients are hard for your dog or puppy to digest.

Some bad foods are Iams, Purina, Alpo, Science Diet, Pedigree, Eukanuba and Bil Jack.

Some GOOD foods are Natures Recipe, Nutro Max, Lassie Natural Way and Royal Chain.

I personally recommend Natures Recipe. It is an all natural food and extremely healthy for your dog or puppy. It leads to a shinny coat and a healthy body. It also cuts down on shedding, bad breath and the amount of stool your dog produces.

Natures Recipe had different bags for different size dogs and ages.

You would usually want to stay away from wet food but since she is under weight I would recommend mixing it in her dry food. I would also recommend feeding her 2 to 3 times daily. This will help her gain weight properly.

Before switching foods you want to check with your vet and make sure your dog or pup has no health problems.

After that you want to switch her slowly otherwise it will make her sick.

For the first week do 25% new and 75% old
Second week 50% new and 50% old
Third week 75% new and 25% old
Then they can have all new food starting the forth week.

You can find those healthy foods at your local Pet Smart or Pet Co.

Also stay away from rawhide and human food as neither are healthy for your dog. Stay with his dog food and Natural or compressed bones.

Answer 9

Just feed her a handfull of dry dog food every 4 hours. It makes them sick if you feed them too much at once when they have been starved like that. I'm glad you decided to take care of her instead of run her off like most people would do. And if someone comes to your house claiming the dog, call the cops on them. They abused the dog and they deserve to go to jail. Do not give her back. If you don't want to keep her, you can take her to an animal shelter. I'm sure you want to keep her though. Otherwise you wouldn't be trying to get her back to a healthy weight and get her spayed.

Answer 10

feed her a puppy formula. there is more fat and protien in it for growing puppies. if the dog is a pure bred then the previous owners have an argument (because they are worth money). BUT the fact that it was malnourished and if you can get the vet or humane society to back you up that it was because of neglect then they have no chance. hang on to that chain if you can, to show the athorities if needed.
Or you could just say no it is not your dog. if it is not tattooed or microchipped then there is no proof. get it tattooed when you spay her.