Paws 4 the Cause takes in two animal abuse cases

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — An animal rescue group here in Lexington has taken in a dog abuse case it’s calling the worst its ever seen, but that wasn’t the only abused animal the group took in this week.

Paws 4 the Cause rescued a dog and a kitten both suffering from extreme burns and coming from the same area in eastern Kentucky.

“It breaks our heart to see a dog like this,” says rescue coordinator for the group, Anita Spreitzer.

Paws 4 the Cause believes the pain these animals are suffering was caused by someone intentionally.

“The injuries seem to be some sort of caustic material that has been poured on the dog,” says Spreitzer.

Cinder, the dog, is suffering from severe chemical burns that were eating away at her skin. Now, she’s undergoing laser treatments to repair her skin.

The chemical wasn’t the only thing eating at her.

“She was infested with maggots and the maggots were basically eating the corroded flesh from her body,” says Spreitzer.

Walking is really hard for her. When Spreitzer rescued her earlier this week, Cinder couldn’t walk at all.

“This is one of the most severe cases I’ve seen in the 30 years I’ve done rescue,” she says.

The group also rescued a kitten from the same area this week. Spreitzer says someone threw scalding hot water on him.

“This can’t keep going on. People cannot think it’s okay to keep doing something like this to an animal,” she says.

That’s why the group says it has been reaching out to these eastern Kentucky counties – Lawrence and Martin – that it’s taken so many of these animal abuse cases from. It’s seen about nine since January.

“Dogs that have been shot by guns, dogs that have been hit by cars on purpose and lost limbs,” Spreitzer says.

Paws 4 the Cause wants to know how to stop this and what it can do to help these counties.

“We can’t keep taking cases like this it’s very costly,” Spreitzer says.

She says Cinder’s treatment is probably over $1,500 and the non-profit already has outstanding vet bills.

“So if anybody’s out there that can make a donation anywhere from $10 and help out with these cases this is what keeps us going and being able to save them,” says Spreitzer.

The group also needs foster homes for these animals it takes in.

You can donate by clicking here.