In mid August, Hope Animal Sanctuary (HAS) Director Doll Stanley received a late evening text asking for advice regarding a dog with a wound. After several texts, Doll was still up worrying about the dog, but the person who contacted her went to sleep. The next morning she pursued the concern.

After more text messages, Doll learned the dog’s wound was much worse than reported in the previous night’s text messages. There were maggots in the wound and Doll responded that the dog must have immediate veterinary care. The reply from his guardian was that they now had a baby and couldn’t afford to provide the dog with veterinary care. Doll asked him to surrender the dog to our sanctuary. He agreed.

When this precious little dog, named Romeo, arrived at Veterinary Associates in Grenada, Mississippi, the wound turned out to be consistent with bite wounds and started on the inside of one paw and extended across his entire underside from front to back. Maggots? Yes, crawling in and out of each puncture. Bad? Yes, and especially horrid considering HAS learned that vet records for Romeo included a maggot related injury on his last visit to the clinic. This is shameful, just positively shameful! Romeo wants his negligent guardians to know he is recovering, is truly joyful in the care of HAS, has made doggy buddies, and will never be adopted out to anyone who will callously and criminally neglect him again.