Abused, Abandoned Pit Bull Will Likely Have Both Front Legs Amputated

“Cooper” was found discarded like a piece of trash on Feb. 20, animal control officials said. Photos courtesy: Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

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A pit bull puppy found abandoned near a vacant storefront in Coachella was taken Wednesday to a veterinary facility in Loma Linda for treatment of severe injuries that will likely require amputation of his front legs, Riverside County animal services officials said.

A good Samaritan spotted the injured dog on Friday, concealed in trash on the lot of an old market near the intersection of Avenue 53 and Tyler Street, said John Welsh, spokesman for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

“We would never have spotted him,” animal control Officer Jose Fernandez said. “Thank goodness for this kind man. We would never have seen him. He was camouflaged in all the other garbage. From a distance, he would have looked like a discarded towel.”

The 6-month-old, black-and-white dog, nicknamed “Cooper” by animal services staff, had severe injuries to his front legs, suggesting he had been abused.

“He tried to get up,” Fernandez said. “He was alert. He was responsive. He was wagging his tail. But he could not stand up on his own.”

A veterinary examination determined the dog would likely need both front limbs amputated and require the use of prosthetics to get around, according to Welsh.

“The unusual location of the injury occurring on both front legs is suspicious of non-accidental injury,” Dr. Sara Strongin of Riverside County Animal Services wrote in her report. “Puppy will likely need both front limbs amputated and will need a prosthetic device to be able to ambulate.”

“It is a very devastating case,” Dr. Strongin said later. “The dog is a very sweet dog. When you’re in the kennel with him, he tries to scooch his way toward you.”

Upon the completion of his treatment at Loma Linda Veterinary Hospital, the puppy will be sent to Heaths Haven Animal Rescue in Idaho, which specializes in dogs with special needs, Welsh said.

– City News Service contributed to this report.