Another dog in South Carolina abused by duct tape. Why?
The discovery of a dead, emaciated dog in Orangeburg County with his muzzle tightly wrapped in duct tape is not the first such case in South Carolina. A dog named Caitlyn was found last summer in North Charleston with her muzzle bound by electrical tape, apparently as a punishment for barking "too much." She had reportedly been kept chained.
Excessive barking is usually a sign that a dog is distressed, lonely, or neglected—as most chained dogs are. PETA's fieldworkers see dogs like this every day, suffering from infected wounds where their collars have become embedded in their skin; forced to live in their own feces; suffering from heartworms, mange, and malnutrition; with no shelter from the searing heat or biting cold; and denied what they want most—love and companionship.
PETA helps by urging people to let dogs live inside with the family, replacing heavy chains with lightweight tie-outs, and providing sturdy doghouses, low- to no-cost spaying and neutering, fresh food, clean water, flea and tick treatment, veterinary care, and moments of desperately needed attention.
You can help, too. Watch out for neglected animals in your neighborhood and report abuse and neglect immediately. Animals count on kind people to speak up for them.
Craig Shapiro, Norfolk, VA.
This story was originally published June 29, 2016 at 10:11 AM with the headline "Another dog in South Carolina abused by duct tape. Why?."