Police are investigating after a "terrified" dog was abandoned in a Middletown park and they said he was in such bad shape that a team needed to shave him because he could barely move his legs.
Police said the dog was found on Halloween in McCutcheon Park at Crystal Lake and it appeared he had been kept in a confined space for a very long time and hadn’t been groomed in well over a year.
The team spent more than two hours shaving him.
Police said it was difficult to sedate him because they couldn’t get a syringe through his thickly matted fur.
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Police have named the dog, a poodle mix, “Chucky” and said it has taken him a few days for him to get his bearings and learn how to walk normally.
Slowly, he is adjusting and coming out of his shell, police said, but Chucky still needs time to recover and is not available for adoption.
Police said Desmond’s Army Animal Law Advocates is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of whoever was responsible for the dog’s condition and abandoning him.
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Anyone who has information is asked to call 860-638-4030.
Police said callers may remain anonymous but they need to be able to speak to the caller.
