Abandoned Dog Problem Continues in Revere

As one abandoned dog story came to a happy ending during the Christmas holiday, seven more sad stories emerged for the folks at Ocean View Kennels – who hold a contract with the City to care for abandoned pooches found within the city.

Over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday, Lisa Cutting of Ocean View said they had seven abandoned Pit Bulls brought in – including one female Pit Bull found on New Year’s Day running through Beachmont Train Station with a motorcycle chain wrapped around its neck and a muzzle over its snout.

“This poor dog was running around frantic all over the station when the police found her,” said Cutting. “She had a motorcycle chain wrapped around her neck and she was muzzled. She was so thirsty when we took the muzzle off that she drank five bowls of water. She is a very good dog, and we believe the owner lives in Beachmont. This was particularly cruel.”

The stories of cruelty to dogs locally has been an ongoing tale over the last three years, getting particularly bad in the wake of the economic downturn and accompanying housing crisis – with many people fleeing their homes and leaving their pets behind.

One bright spot on that front, however, came this Christmas when an abandoned dog named Hugo found a new home just three days after being profiled in a Journal article.

“Hugo is in a brand new home with a woman who absolutely adores him,” said Cutting. “His anxiety disappeared once he got settled into his new home and he was in his new home for Christmas. He’s doing amazing.”

However, there are still more sad stories than happy ones.

Cutting said that just before Christmas, on the bone-chilling night of Dec. 23, two severely malnourished Pit Bull puppies were found inside a crate in the garage of an abandoned home.

“They were nearly frozen to death and only five months old,” said Cutting. “I can’t even describe how bad their condition was. They have to be laid down on special orthopedic dog beds and they look like one of those dogs on the MSPCA commercials. It’s heartbreaking, but we believe they were being bred either to sell or to fight with – and then hastily discarded.”

The holidays were rounded out with four more abandoned Pit Bulls brought in, Cutting said.

“We’re calling them the ‘left behinds,’” she said. “Some people are just terrible. I don’t know how they can do these things to animals, but we are looking for good homes for all of these dogs.”

To inquire about adopting one of the “Left Behinds,” contact Ocean View kennels at (781) 284-7800.