Help an Abandoned Ossining Dog

The following is a news release from the Westchester SPCA:

In one of the worse cases of animal neglect observed by its staff in recent history, the SPCA of Westchester rescued a senior Pomeranian, now named Cheerios, whose hair was so horribly matted, it prevented his back legs from moving properly.  “We see many cases of neglect here at the SPCA of Westchester but Cheerio’s case has really pulled on our heartstrings,” says Lisa Bonanno, Development Manager. Cheerios was found in Ossining, wandering around in the cold, clearly in distress. After 3 hours of brushing and shaving, we could finally see poor Cheerios legs hidden under there and were finally able to separate them so that he could walk properly.

“Cheerios was great through all the tugging and grooming”, says Marge Gottesman, SPCA Volunteer, and once we could finally see him through all that hair, he was actually a very cute dog! Cheerios neglect however, goes far deeper. Once SPCA Veterinarian, Megan Caulfield, DVM was able to examine him, it became apparent that Cheerios was most likely abandoned because he has many underlying health issues that need urgent attention and we all know that medical care equals big out of pocket expenses that some are unable to afford, especially in this economy.

The SPCA is hoping a member of the public may know Cheerios' owner, who illegally abandoned him on the streets of Ossining in dire circumstances, or may consider donating to this special dog’s medical fund. Cheerios has a heart murmur and 2 luxating patellas (knee joint issue). Through the SPCA’s Mend a Friend Fund, animal lover’s can donate to help Cheerios and animals like him that need extra TLC and attention.

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