Town councillor saves dog chained to sign in ditch
'Ricki' was emaciated, sore-ridden and feces-caked

YorkRegion.com
Aug. 15, 2014
By Jim Mason

Richard Bartley has given a whole new meaning to the term "rescue dog".

The Whitchurch-Stouffville councillor, who is running for mayor this fall, came to the aid of an abandoned pooch on the Whitchurch-Stouffville/Uxbridge border last week.

Driving home from an event Thursday, something caught his eye east of Ballantrae.

It was an emaciated, sore-ridden and feces-caked dog lying in a ditch along York-Durham Line and chained to a road sign clinging to life, according to a town media release.

“I can’t believe anyone could be so heartless and cause such suffering to another living creature. I am so happy that I followed my instinct and decided to pull over."

Bartley and others who had attended the same event, including from The Regional Municipality of York and York Regional Police, as well as local residents, sprang into action bringing the dog much needed water and food.

The dog, a female shepherd mix estimated to be five or six years old, was extremely docile and gently accepted food by hand.

“I don’t think the dog would have survived the night without water or food and probably would have been attacked by coyotes or other predators,” said Mayor Wayne Emmerson. “I hope whoever is responsible for this is caught.”

Town animal control services arrived shortly after and took the dog to a veterinarian.

The dog has large open wounds to both hips and smaller open wounds to other parts of her body. From the appearance and severity of the sores combined with her emaciated body condition, it is suspected the dog was confined in a crate and starved for a very long period of time before being dumped at the side of the road.

The veterinarian prescribed her pain medication and antibiotics. Animal control staff took the dog to their shelter and gave her a much needed bath.

The dog, who has been named Ricki, is being cared for by a pet foster family while she recuperates.

Anyone with information regarding the dog is encouraged to contact the animal control services via the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Customer Service Centre at 905-640-1900 or 1-855-642-(TOWN) 8696.