Animal cruelty charges sought after dog found with muzzle banded shut

Boston Animal Control is seeking animal cruelty charges after finding a dog in Roxbury with a band tied around its muzzle, leaving the dog barely able to open her mouth. 

The dog, a 5-year-old poodle mix, was first reported near Townsend and Crestwood Park in Roxbury, according to the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. A passing driver was able to get the dog into his truck and call the authorities. 

When the Animal Control Officer dispatched to the scene got there, he observed that the dog had a severe injury to the mouth area and was very thin and dirty. The dog was taken to the animal care facility to be evaluated. 

“[The object] was making her unable to eat, which is why she ended up so thin,” Emily Walz, a Boston Animal Care and Control veterinarian, told Boston 25 News. “But since she’s been here, she’s been a wonderful little girl. She’s still very happy.”

Walz told Boston 25 News that the dog has regained her ability to eat and has gained more than a pound as a result. 

The dog was scanned and her microchip provided authorities with information on the owner on file. The Animal Control Officer followed up with the owner who said the dog had been given away. They then tracked down the last person reported to have ownership of the dog. 

According to the Parks and Recreation department there is an active animal cruelty investigation in progress and evidence has been turned over to the Boston Police Department for further investigation.