Cape Coral Animal Shelter takes in severely neglected dog

The Cape Coral Animal Shelter received an emergency plea on Friday for help from animal control in a neighboring county.

A dog they call “Billy” was found severely emaciated and full of scars from an uncertain past, according to the shelter. They immediately arranged transport and he is now under the care of their medical team.

Liz McCauley, executive director of the Cape Coral Animal Shelter, said Billy was so malnourished that she thought the dog was a puppy. As it turns out, he’s 5 years old.

“It’s just from a life of always being undernourished and never being healthy so he looks younger than what he really is, which is sad,” she said.

“He just was neglected and I think those of us that have dogs and cats, they’re family. They sleep in bed with us at night. They go on vacation with us. That wasn’t the life that Billy had, but I think he will now.”

Billy had a restful night and is eating and wagging his tail for the first time in a long time.

The Cape Coral Animal Shelter has only been open since March, with Billy being just one of many animals the staff and volunteers have been tasked with getting healthy again and ready for a new home.

“A lot of the more rural shelters don’t have the medical facilities that we have here. So they get into a situation where they confiscate a dog like this and they need help medically,” said McCauley.

She said since it’s a criminal case, no further details have been made public, but they commend the animal control officer who jumped into action and saved Billy from a horrible existence.

McCauley describes him as “happy and loving,” despite his past. So now, he’s on the path to finding the perfect loving home. “All things considered he’s in pretty good shape,” she said. “I don’t know what his life entailed before he came to us but we know what it’s going to be like now which is all happiness, food, and lots of love.”

“Thanks also to our transport volunteers who dropped everything to go get him, and our wonderful vet and kennel team for loving him from the first moment. You are safe now, little boy. Rest easy,” McCauley added, via a statement.

Billy isn’t up for adoption just yet since he has to get healthier before he’s ready for his forever home. In the meantime, the shelter is hoping someone will be willing to foster him.